(The Star) – Hair dressing salon operators are learning the hard way that gender segregation rules in Kelantan apply to non-Muslims as well. They have had to pay many summonses for allowing their female workers to cut the hair of non-Muslim male patrons, which they thought was permissible.

E-Life Hair Salon manager Ong Lee Ting said she had settled 11 summonses since she opened for business in KB Mall in 2010.

Hairy situation: Ong showing one of the 11 summonses she received for allowing her female employees to cut the hair of non-Muslim male patrons.Hairy situation: Ong showing one of the 11 summonses she received for allowing her female employees to cut the hair of non-Muslim male patrons.

The fines were imposed under Section 107(2) of the Local Council Act by-laws which prohibits a woman from cutting the hair of a man and vice versa regardless of religion.

“I have been paying fines of between RM200 and RM350,” said Ong, who was issued the latest summons on Tuesday.

“I find the by-laws confusing … they should not apply to a non-Muslim woman cutting the hair of a non-Muslim man.”

Gender segregation is among the controversial regulations imposed by the PAS state government, which insists that the rule be also observed at supermarket check-outs.

The last time Ong went to the local council office to pay a compound, she was told that the licence for the salon would be revoked because of the many summonses issued to the operator.

However, council secretary Mohd Anis Hussein said: “As long as they (the salon owners) pay the compounds, they will be allowed to operate.”

He added that the salon owners understood the by-laws and the consequences of ignoring them.

Nice Hair Salon manager Alice Ong Lee Ruong was baffled by the rule.

“I would understand it if we were fined for allowing our women workers to cut the hair of Muslim men. But they were attending to non-Muslim men,” she said.

Ong, who had settled 10 summonses so far, wondered for how long she would have to pay fines.

“They are not cheap and we have to consider the high rental, salaries of our workers and other expenses,” she said.

Another salon manager, who declined to be named, said the council by-laws were making life difficult for hair dressers.

(The Star) – The DAP wants the Kelantan government to intervene in the municipal council by-laws prohibiting women from cutting men’s hair in the state.

Chairman Karpal Singh said he was surprised that the state decided to enforce such a ruling on non-Muslims.

“The state government has publicly declared that Islamic laws will not be extended to non-Muslims. PAS has also stated hudud will only be applied to Muslims.

“There’s a lot of concern among the public on what has happened in Kelantan. If hudud is allowed to be applicable to Muslims, there will come (a time that it will) be extended to non-Muslims,” he told a press conference in Air Itam on Saturday.

He was responding to reports that hair salon operators in the PAS-ruled state were being fined for breaching the by-laws which prohibit a woman from cutting the hair of a man and vice versa.

Karpal Singh said the ruling was unconstitutional and could be challenged in court.

“In fact, it should be challenged in court. Those concerned should not pay the fines. It is unlawful.

“I hope that the PAS leadership will intervene and do something about it as soon as possible,” he said adding that Barisan Nasional should not be presented with issues that it can exploit now that the general election is looming.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Anything and everything BUT ending the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTERA eh? Karpal has become the Hairdressers/Barber’s Association President or State Chinese Association Prsident now? This sort of case is even below the Chinese or Indian Chamber of Commerce or State Chinese Association to address (while in the same breath, we must be aware that the Chinese or Indian Chamber of Commerce, State Chinese Association, probably can’t even talk about the APARTHEID oF BUMIPUTERA because they do not have parliamentary immunity – maybe a provision for them to also be granted parliamentary immunity?) , but somehow Karpal can’t talk about the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTERA in spite of parliamentary immunity so this is a great opportunity to look busy while the minoriites remain second class citizens . . . look here ‘Karpal’ if you don’t want to put that Parliamentary Immunity to good use, please give up that decades long seat you’re wasting the Rakyats’s mandate on, to somebody who will use the same to try to end the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTERA and lack of :

Is Karpal a REAL lawyer and aware of the responsibility of an MP to the people? Most Malays and Muslims, probably also the Sultans know in their hearts that apartheid is wrong and that technically in Islam the APARTYHEID of BUMIPUTERA is ILLEGAL. Why does Karpal not HONESTLY and legally challenge the racists and Islamists on these facts? Self serving much? Too many family members, too many contracts colluded on? So does the rakyat need this kind of MP or perhaps has karpal and Sons family bloc spent too much time hoodwinking the Rakyat? An MP’s job goes far beyond this hair issue, like for Human Rights Articles 1 and 18 . . . do something useful or MP-like, or GTFO of Dewan!

Mediocre! And in overall effectiveness, Karpal is but a decades long malingerer on the taxpayer dollar alongside BN’s racism and corrupted worst …

Indian leaders may jump ship if they are not picked as candidates in the coming general election, says a source.

Infighting, backbiting and sabotaging among Indian leaders in PKR could result in the party losing Indian support at the upcoming 13th general election.

The internal rift among these leaders could also play a role in thwarting Pakatan Rakyat’s ambition of taking over the federal government after the polls. The opposition pact is made of PKR, DAP and PAS.

Speaking to FMT, a PKR source admitted that there would be “major party hopping” among Indians in PKR before and after the general election.

Declining to be named, the source said many Indians in the party were waiting for PKR to officially announce its list of Indian candidates to contest under the PKR banner in the coming general election.

“If their names are overlooked as a candidate, then they would jump ship to the Barisan Nasional or quit PKR without joining anyone… they have already made plans to this effect.”

“Unlike PAS and DAP which have a long tradition and faithful members, PKR is a new set-up. Most of its members are from BN component parties. They ran from there to PKR. They ran because they were sidelined in their respective BN component parties. So when the same thing happens here, they would run again,” said the source.

He said the problem among Indian leaders in PKR is “everyone wants a seat to contest”.

“Of course, both Malays and Chinese in PKR also face the same scenario but Indians are the worst,” said the source, who is very close to the party leadership.

He said PKR Indian leaders in their eagerness to win brownie points have also resorted to “attacking” each other in the mainstream media.

Tip of the iceberg

“Some are sending their supporters to Parliament to lobby for seats. For example, I was told that more than 60 candidate profiles have been submitted for the Bukit Melawati state seat in Selangor despite the incumbent M Mutiah declaring interest in defending the seat.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. The factions in the party are heading for a showdown,” the source said.

He claimed that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had often met party Indian leaders to get feedback on ways to boost Indian support for Pakatan, but not much was done on the ground to put the plans into action.

“But, this is not enough to woo Indian votes. The Indian leaders in the party are not united. If they are, then they can put up a strong front and lobby for votes of the community. There are several camps within the party and each camp is pressuring Anwar for seats.

Mukhriz (centre bottom), is not a Pakatan MP, just included to show possible phenotype similarities between politicians who benefited from nepotism if any . . .

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Indian candidates are you idiots? Who needs to pressure Anwar? Any independent candidate can run for any seat without pressuring anyone. The whole idea of a political party is to keep all MPs captive to the supreme council. Podah!

ARTICLE 4

‘Anwar is an attention seeker’ – Friday, 23 November 2012 Super Admin

Several BN leaders are appalled at Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s attempt to get Australia to observe Malaysia’s general election.

G Vinod, FMT

An MIC leader today chided Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim for seeking attention, especially with his call to Australia to observe the coming general election.

MIC vice-president SK Devamany was referring to Anwar’s move to request the Australian government recently to observe the polls, claiming there were a lot of irregularities in the electoral roll.

However, Australia’s Foreign Minister Bob Carr had rejected the former deputy prime minister’s request, saying they cannot and would not influence how Malaysia runs its election.

“It’s very hard for Australia to do anything about how they’re run, as hard as it would be for Malaysia or another government to have a say in how Australian elections are run.

“We’re not the election authority for Malaysia,” Carr was reported as saying.

Taking Anwar to task, Devamany said that times have changed and the world community is watching each other’s conduct in the information age.

“No point trying to seek attention from other people. They are watching us all the time,” he said.

As for Anwar’s accusation, the deputy minister said that the Barisan Nasional government is transparent and the former could always voice his grouses to the EC.

“He can always use his position as the opposition leader to get things done. But being the attention seeker he is, Anwar will devise new tactics to keep himself relevant.

“No wonder some Pakatan Rakyat leaders are seeking PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to become prime minister if the opposition bloc wins the federal polls,” said Devamany.

Risk of being colonised again

Echoing Devamany’s sentiments, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) president M Kayveas said that it was dangerous to get foreign powers to be involved in Malaysia’s election.

He also said that with foreign powers’ aid, the party benefiting from them would be indebted to the former and thus, put Malaysia at risk of being “colonised” again.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

To prevent the colonisation factor, NO foreign government based groups people should to be invited keep tabs on the elections, BUT *ELECTION WATCHDOG GROUPS* from foreign and Australian and other non-Western governments should instead. In fact Australian Elections and other Western nations could do with foreign watchdog groups from other countries ESPECIALLY those not particularly friendly to Australia, to prevent fifth columnists manipulating votes to the favour of their own government. Who knows what collusion goes on between governments these days? Foreign governments cannot monitor without compromising the sovereignty of the monitored state.

Instead, unaffiliated to government/unfunded by government civil society WATCHDOG NGOs favouring opposition would be safest. Anwar thus could be in cahooots with the current majority Australian government with the same feigning disinterest. Now if watchdog groups unfriendly to their respective foreign governments were to be called on as monitors, having nothing to gain, these groups would be the most objective choice. This accusation could be avoided simply by Anwar contacting non-mainstream foreign monitors instead. As for attention seeking, 2 terms as MP limits should put paid to that sort of thing once and for all. For expedience, Anwar could be tolerated for now, but the next great purging of politicians will not be those corrupt, opaque and racist (BN era) but those NEPOTISTIC and TERM LIMITLESS (PR era). This would be true progress then to prevent a Mubarak, Gaddafi or Ali Salleh from forming out of term limitless Anwars and Lim Kit Siangs or whatever groups.

(Bernama) – Lawyer Karpal Singh, acting for applicant Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, told the High Court here Friday that the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 had completely prohibited the right to assemble, by way of street protest.

The senior lawyer said the provision under Section 4(1)(c) was not intended to “restrict” but more to “prohibit” the right to assemble.

“Any street protest, actually, was a moving assembly and the Act should not completely prohibit it,” contended Karpal by pointing out on the provision of Section 4(1)(c) of the Act, which he argued, was inconsistent and contravened with the provision of Article 10 (1)(b) of the Federal Constitution.

He said the Act defined a street protest as an assembly that was in movement.

“Even Article 10(1)(b) clearly stated that all citizens have the right to assemble peaceably, without arms,” he noted.

He further submitted that the word, ‘restriction’, should be interpreted as reasonable restriction as stated in Article 10, and the constitution was the supreme law of the country.

“Any law passed after Merdeka Day, which is inconsistent with the constitution, should be declared void,” said Karpal, who urged Justice Kamardin Kashim to allow Anwar’s application with costs.

Kamardin set Nov 30, for respondent (prosecution) to reply to the applicant’s submission Friday.

In a related development, Anwar’s co-counsel, Ram Karpal Singh, said if the court ruled in Anwar’s favour, one of the charges under the Peaceful Assembly Act would be dropped, leaving only two charges still pending at the Sessions Court.

Anwar, 64, together with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, 48, and Rembau PKR branch chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin (third accused), 34, were charged last May 22, with taking part in street demonstrations which allegedly led to chaos in the city.

The three also faced a second charge of conniving with Tangam Raju, Rajesh Kumar Gejinder and Farhan Ibrahim, by inciting them to remove steel barricades at Jalan Raja here on the same day.

They are the first to be charged under Section 4(2)(c) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, which carries a fine of up to RM10,000, upon conviction.

Last July 2, the trio were charged with conspiring with Tangam, Rajesh, Farhan and five or more supporters of ‘Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih 3.0)’ to defy a magistrate’s court order dated April 26, against holding a rally at Dataran Merdeka from April 28 until May 1, this year.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Excuse me. No citizen needs to ‘assemble’ or riot IF our worthless waste of time nepotistic term limitless MPs (Karpal included) make the effort to end Bumiputra Apartheid or are not corrupt. This assembly thing is USELESS and has no weight legally. The wishes of 26 million Malaysians could be stopped by 222 self serving nepotistic and term limitless MPs simply because not enough Malaysians dare to be independents, there is always 3rd Force but even 3rd Force must respect term limits and preferably allow 1-Man-1-Vote systems in ratifying laws or at least ratifying laws on a district by district level.

An MP legally challenging the inequality and apartheid has more weight than 26 million Malaysians illegally marching. Is Karpal a false flag MP? Any and all Malays and other minorities who believe in neutrality and equality by changing the ILLEGAL and DISCRIMINATIVE Constitutional clauses and laws should give term limitless farces like Karpal here the boot. I’d DROP the right to peacefully assembly in exchange for ending APARTHEID and the below 3 items. Now think, which MP is worth voting for. The one who gives you the ‘right to assemble‘ which is the ‘precursor to riot‘ (there is nothing assembling can do, so frustrated assemblers end up RIOTING) but has no effect on policy, or the MP who grants equality and end of apartheid on your behalf so you do not need to march?

Previously, we reported how Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s oppositions leader has been “framed” with several sex tapes HERE.

While Anwar Ibrahim has denied he is the porn star featured in those sex tapes, it’s very obvious these explicit videos which you can watch below and read more here, are either recorded or simply made up and released with only one thing in mind … Political Assassination.

It’s designed to end the political career of Anwar Ibrahim and to kill the fragile oppositions of Malaysia,which is fighting to boot out the legacy government left behind by Asia’s most corrupt dictator, Mahathir Mohamad, and allegation that can never be proven simply because everything including the judiciary is answerable to only one man in Malaysia ie. the Prime Minister … and yes, it’s that absurd.

The country is currently helm by son of an ex-premier, who himself is laden with all sort of scandalous allegations including corruption and even … MURDER !

I love Malaysia.

Below is the latest “satire” from a pro-government newspaper (Fact: all newspaper in Malaysia are required by law to report only pro-government news. There is no press freedom in Malaysia.)

Go here if you just wanna know more about the sex scandal.

Swimming against the tide

By Joceline Tan @ Star Malaysia

The free Rolls Royce offer to any Anwar Ibrahim look-alike out there has gone unclaimed and US experts have verified the sex video to be authentic. What now for the leader of the Opposition?

NOBODY has claimed the Rolls Royce that is currently stretched out like a sexy lady on the porch of Zamil Ibrahim’s house.

The former PKR politician does not see anyone coming forward now that the country’s most talked-about sex video has been found to be authentic.

Zamil, who is now the Kedah chief of the new political party Kita, said he decided to put his prized wheels on the line because he became sick and tired of hearing claims that the man in the video was merely someone who looks like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Posh car: No takers for the sleek and beautiful Rolls Royce which is still sitting on the porch of Zamil’s house in Kedah. Inset: Zamil who loves the Rolls Royce.

“I couldn’t take any more of the nonsense that it was an Anwar look-alike,” he said.

Zamil loves the beautiful vintage Rolls the way some Malay men love their second wives. Nevertheless, he was prepared to hand over the Rolls to the person whom Anwar’s supporters claimed had been the Anwar look-alike in the video. It was one of those droll manoeuvres loaded with political irony.

But deep down, Zamil is relieved the car will remain his. It is very similar to the Rolls Royce owned by no less than Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud except that Zamil’s is in better condition. The engine purrs, the dashboard gleams with polish and the leather seats are in a plush taupe.

Just a fortnight ago, a Chinese friend borrowed the car for his son’s wedding. Zamil loaned the car plus his own driver because he did not want unfamiliar hands at the wheel.
Up against the wall: The sex video episode has reached a pivotal point and Pakatan parties are preparing to move on without Anwar who is seen here officiating at a new PKR branch in Kubang Pasu, Kedah.

There has been no love lost between Zamil and Anwar since the day Zamil claimed he was played out by Anwar over a position in PKR. Unfortunately for Anwar, Zamil does not take broken promises lightly and his quest for vengeance is far from over. A few days ago, Zamil lodged a police report on the police report that Anwar made to deny that he is the man in the video. Zamil’s contention is that Anwar had lodged a false police report.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the sex video scandal exploded back in March. The so-called Datuk Trio comprising Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik, Datuk Eskay Abdullah and Datuk Shuib Ismail has been charged and convicted. Expert opinion from the US is that the video is genuine and the man in it was reported to be “99.99% Anwar.”

End of story? Not quite – the end is still nowhere in sight for this controversial sex video.

“We have passed the climax but this thing has the look of an epic,” said film-maker and Umno blogger Syed Azidi Syed Aziz, who is better known by his blogging name Kickdefella.

Talk is rife of a few more videos in the wings, as well as an explosive photograph. The Datuk Trio is not the sort of people you would want to fool around with, as PKR politician and Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul has learnt.

Johari, who was among the first people the Trio invited to view the video, recently found himself the collateral damage in the controversy. Johari has been going about denying that it is Anwar but last week, the PKR side released a video which featured Johari rubbishing the Trio and the sex video. His account was obviously timed to coincide with the Trio’s court conviction.

The Trio reacted by unleashing footage of Johari watching the sex video during which he appeared to acknowledge that it was Anwar. Johari did not come out very well from it and, if he knows better, this was just a warning from the Trio.

They obviously have more stuff than what has been seen to date given how cocksure they have been about their claims and actions as well as their willingness to swear on the Quran in the mosque.

But whether the Trio comes up with more of the same is not going to matter very much from now.

The sex video episode has reached a pivotal point with the conviction of the Trio and the authentication of the video. For months, Pakatan politicians had challenged the authorities to charge the Trio, and their conviction has taken the fire out of Pakatan’s artillery.

Pakatan politicians have generally ducked the issue of whether the video was authentic or fake. Only one DAP politician had called for the video to be authenticated. He was quietly asked to shut up and no other Pakatan figure has since made such demands.

Their standard line of defence has been that this is “politik lucah” or vulgar politics while PAS took the Islamic and diplomatic way out by insisting that such cases require four witnesses. Very few of them have put their reputation on the line to say that it is not Anwar. Johari is one of them.

But there are still people out there who do not want to accept that the video is authentic despite the tests and analyses by the academic institute in the US.

At the same time, not all of those who agree that the man is Anwar approve of the entrapment. They feel that political victory or defeat should take place via a political contest rather than through sex traps.

But it is increasingly difficult for Pakatan and especially PKR politicians to go on insisting that it is not Anwar.

When asked about this, a PKR official would only say: “Let the public decide whether they believe the 99.99% finding.”

Some people think Anwar is finished. Actually, he is far from finished but fewer people now think he is going to be the next Prime Minister – or even that he is Prime Minister material.

A serious matter

“Non-Muslims regard this as a private matter. But for us Muslims, it is a serious thing. I haven’t seen the video but my friends have seen it and they can decide for themselves,” said a top PAS figure.

Anwar’s problem is the growing element of doubt among the swing group, especially the Malay middle ground. The hardcore supporters on either side will remain where they are; it is the swing group that Pakatan has to be worried about.

Anwar probably feels it when he goes on the ceramah circuit. The crowds are there but he knows they are also checking out his belly, his chest and even his nose as they are listening to him. Fortunately, his stomach is quite flat now that he has lost so much weight and is looking rather gaunt.

The sex video, for one, has been a top topic at the ceramah series organised by the Pasir Salak division. Umno ceramah can be quite boring affairs but this one not only had the crowd’s attention but had them tickled too.

At one ceramah, the speaker said that given the sex-related incidents associated with the opposition leader, “the whole thing is beginning to look like a hobby.”

“Hobbies are okay, but people with this type of hobby, it’s better they don’t try to become the Prime Minister,” said the speaker.

Another speaker said: “Many of us have seen the video, the experts have said it is real, we know it’s him, what else is there to argue. Only the PAS leaders are still arguing as though they know everything, as if they were in the bedroom, under the bed.”

The ceramah series is the brainchild of Pasir Salak Umno politician Dr Faizal Tajuddin who wanted to counter and neutralise the string of ceramah by PAS, which has been parading its latest celebrity recruit, Bob Lokman, the Malay rocker who said he joined PAS because he wanted to go to heaven.

The main target is PAS but the sex video is one of the bullets being used by Dr Faizal’s team.

Many are also waiting to see whether Anwar’s wife and daughter, both politicians, will come forward to defend him again now that the video has been vetted as genuine. The family is said to have been in turmoil since the video surfaced in March but they have no choice but to keep up a united front.

It is quite clear by now that Anwar needs Pakatan more than Pakatan needs him. He was a superhero in the aftermath of March 2008 but Pakatan is now shouldering him through his personal problems.

Anwar’s nemesis, Kita president Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, put it quite bluntly when he said the opposition has been “utterly compromised” by Anwar and that the latter is “destroying the credibility of the opposition.”

Zaid was equally critical of the authority’s handling of the sex video, describing it as “foolish and clumsy”, all of which added up to what he described as “the tragedy of Malaysian politics.”

Pakatan leaders know it as well. Privately, they are already talking of a revived role for Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah in the near future. Dr Wan Azizah has been playing the role of dutiful wife rather than PKR president but Pakatan leaders are ready to accept her if Anwar is indisposed.

“Kak Wan will still lead. We can work with her even though she is not up to mark,” said the same PAS figure.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali is experienced and capable but the Pakatan leaders are still uncomfortable with him. Rising star Nurul Izzah is ambitious but still very green and her haste to be noticed has seen her mired in embarrassing boo-boos such as claiming that the Malaysian submarine could not dive whereas it has dived to its maximum depth off the coast of Sabah with no less than the King onboard.

Recently, Anwar claimed he had the clout to call off the Bersih rally if he wanted to, implying he was still in charge. The rally’s figurehead leader Datuk S. Ambiga immediately shot back that the rally is on.

It was a slap in the face for Anwar. The Bersih rally is basically a PAS show and it is the clearest sign that Anwar’s centrestage placing in Pakatan politics has been hijacked by PAS.

Moreover, the new PAS battle cry is “PAS ganti Umno”, the implication being that PAS has the ability to replace Umno and that can only mean one thing – PAS is positioning itself to dominate in the general election and claim the Prime Ministership.

Pakatan parties are preparing to move on without Anwar. His role as an intermediary between PAS and DAP is quite redundant now that the Erdogans are in charge in PAS. The Erdogans speak the same political language as DAP leaders and they can sit at the same table with DAP.

There is even talk that if Anwar cannot defend Permatang Pauh in the next general election, Nurul Izzah will go there since the election law disqualifies Dr Wan Azizah from contesting a seat which she resigned from.

The days when Anwar could walk on water are over. He is swimming against the current.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

This is an old article, but lookalikes can be easily created given the amount of funds BN has. They could get the nearest looking lookalike ‘Anwar’ add abit of plastic surgery or anyone in the opposition and make them do all kinds of porn for release in the internet EVERY week or make the fakes ‘say things’ that are politically destructive which will be presented as insider records etc.. Chua Soi Lek could have been smart enough to dodge the bullet but chose to be honest, bravo, but a person who would be honest about invasion of privacy vids, yet not want to challenge apartheid is an oxymoron of sorts. As for Pakatan, the problem still stands and very clearly that Pakatan is a CLOSED party. I have at least tried quite indirectly to sound Pakatan out, and noted the extreme fear and prevention of ‘outside’ forces taking over. Then after Pakatan’s sacrifice of Teo Beng Hock, perhaps was best that some of us were not invited to join anyway. After doing the scrimmage work, the least that some politicians could have done was not betray their would-be supporters to the psychiatric establishment . . .

2 sides of the same Rakyat oppressive coin?

We’d be better off setting up a 3rd Force party to remove the cynical apartheid tolerating hudud accepting guys with similar looking wives (Betty and Rosmah might as well be the same person), drop 50% of DAP’s nepotists I say . . . those undemocratic creeps are very harmful to the country, as is any who are term limitless and nepotistic and refuse to make clear on :

;while touting Hudud or an Islamist party PAS par excellence Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood. These Islamists are all the same IMHO, when courting the voters, they say nice things but after gaining power, they turn all Islamist and start persecuting everyone. MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP however have entirely failed to seperate from BN to lead 3rd force which I list below :

Proposed 3rd Force Party

End the APARTHEID and drop the racists. or get the racists to drop apartheid if BN wants GE13. Other than that, the mandate which is unused as of now would likely become Pakatan’s, a much worse option in many ways.

ARTICLE 7

Pakatan must do more for Penang Malays – Saturday, 24 November 2012 Super Admin

The Malays in Penang want a Malay Deputy Chief Minister to look after their interests

To this, the congress’ president Rahmad Isahak said it was becoming clear that both PKR and PAS have failed to maintain Pakatan Rakyat’s hold on the Malays.

Hawkeye, FMT

The Penang Malay Congress has called on DAP to consider appointing a Malay to become the next Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) I if the present leader, PKR’s Mansor Othman, relinquishes the post in favour of contesting a parliament seat.

The rumour mill is working overtime in Penang now since PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim announced last week that Mansor, a party vice-president, will contest the Nibong Tebal parliament seat.

The seat is presently held by Tan Tee Beng who had won the seat under the PKR banner in 2008 but has since become an Independent.

Anwar declined to comment on whether Mansor will be allowed to defend his present Penanti state seat on the mainland.

To this, the congress’ president Rahmad Isahak said it was becoming clear that both PKR and PAS have failed to maintain Pakatan Rakyat’s hold on the Malays.

Moving Mansor out of Penang, stengthens the congress’ belief that Pakatan is concerned about the Malay ground here and confirms that the Malay electorate is disappointed with them, Rahmad said.

Mansor has been underfire for the last three years for failing to champion Malay issues well, and he is often seen as being subservient to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

To arrest an alleged decline in Malay support, Rahmad said Pakatan needs to revamp its present leadeship allocation.

A Malay DAP candidate, who wins in the next election, should instead be made the DCM I as this will demonstrate to the people that the party is committed to the Malays, Rahmad said.

Talk is that Penang DAP will consider fielding at least two Malay candidates here to challenge the perception among the Malay community that it is a Chinese party.

DAP’s failure to field any Malays may also give rise to a number of independent candidates – sponsored by Malay civil groups where 23 organisations have sprouted up in Penang since 2008.

Rahmad said the Malays in Penang have become restless due to the inability of the DAP-led state government to effectively address their socio-economic issues.

The community’s grouses are over the lack of affordable housing, erosion of their heritage and culture values, made worse by the demolition of traditional villages on the island and the lack of quality jobs despite a record number of fresh investments.

“If you ask a critically minded Malay if they support Pakatan, they remain speechless. It is not because Pakatan failed them, it is because the issues of the community has gone unnoticed by the inexperienced government for the past four years.”

The Malay dilemma

The Malays are now venting their anger on PKR and PAS for failure to convince DAP over the critical need to look at the community’s issues.

Even during Barisan’s era, the Malay community here has been stirring up issues and expressing their anger, Rahmad said in an interview.

The Malays are in a dilemma here because if they support Pakatan, there is a preception out there that their issues will not be effectively resolved unless a strong-willed Malay leader is appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister I, Rahmad said.

On the other hand, it is pointless to support Umno as the party is part of the Barisan Nasional coalition, which is finding it increasingly difficult to regain acceptance in Penang, he said.

;so that the minorities will not care what race the CM is. Frankly Penang has had a minority CM for too long, on the other hand ALL OTHER Sultanate led STATES have had Malay MBs for too long as well. The door swings both ways . . .

ARTICLE 8

Najib: Change can happen with the same government – by Ida Lim – November 24, 2012

Najib addresses the crowd at the Barisan 1 Malaysia gathering at the Putra World Trade Centre who respond by raising one finger. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 — A change in government is not necessary for changes in the country, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.

The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) is ready to change, said Najib, who is also chairman of the 13-member coalition.

“… BN is not a party that is inflexible. We are ready to change.

“Change can happen in our country and we have proven that not necessarily we change government, but we can bring big change with the same government,” Najib said at the Barisan 1 Malaysia gathering at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here.

He also hinted that the government may give more cash handouts to the people if the country is well-managed.

He was speaking about the government’s financial aid to the working class and other sections of society, such as giving out tyres to taxi drivers and cash handouts to singles under the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M) 2.0 scheme, before hinting that more handouts were possible.

“Boleh lagi. We (can) give more in the future with the condition that our country is managed well.

“And all these we are able to do because in the past four years, we have proven that this is not an empty promise…” Najib said.

;no change can be expected. BN has the mandate to grant the above now. Why has BN not used that mandate to grant the above? This proves there will be no change. The above 3 items cost nothing to implement.

NOV 19 — Unless appropriate formal and equitable engagement mechanisms are put in place, civil society will be not be in a position to effectively advocate for and ensure the protection of human rights in the region. This is the lesson to be gleaned from the adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) yesterday (November 18) during the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The inability of civil society organisations (CSOs) to meaningfully engage with members of ASEAN over the establishment of institutional and normative human rights frameworks to date explains the limited effectiveness of their advocacy in securing a real protection mechanism for the people of ASEAN.

Much of the discussion emerging from yesterday’s release of AHRD has focused on the criticism by CSOs over the lack of adherence to international human rights standards and the rejoinder by ASEAN governmental representative that the tone of the current AHRD is what is politically feasible now within the regional grouping. But the root problem remains the lack of access of CSOs to the inter-governmental process that has crafted institutional mechanisms and the AHRD.

Over the last two years, CSOs seeking to advance the protection of human rights in the nascent ASEAN human rights regime have been confronted with a regional association and member governments that are still deeply wedded to the principle of non-interference and the primacy of national laws.

Beginning with the ASEAN Charter in 2008, which promised the establishment of a human rights body, CSOs have been pressuring member governments to adopt a mechanism that would speak to international standards and include a protection mechanism. At each step towards formalising a regional mechanism, for example in 2009 in the run up to the drafting of the Terms of Reference for the AICHR and now in 2012 in the drafting of AHRD, CSOs have tried their level best to engage with ASEAN but in vain.

On the adoption of the ADHR in Phnom Penh on November 18, CSO criticisms of the declaration continued unabated. While Singapore’s Representative to the AICHR, Chang Heng Chee, hailed the advent of the “peer-review” mechanism and the ADHR as “the best that could be done” in the social and political context, the CSO exclusion from the process of crafting a human rights regime remains a blatant fact.

Some 60 CSOs wrote to ASEAN leaders requesting the postponement of the signing given serious flaws in the document. Echoing strongly their comments, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, also called for the same and has stated: “I am surprised and disappointed that the draft declaration has not been made public and that civil society has not been consulted in the drafting of the document.”

Poignant criticisms have pointed to AHRD failings to meet existing international standards and the risks of creating a sub-standard level of rights protection in the region.

Pillay has cited as an example the provision on the right to life which, she said, should not be contingent on domestic laws that can be used to justify state-sponsored violence. Further, ASEAN governments want the enjoyment of rights to be balanced with the “performance of duties” and be subject to “national and regional contexts”.

Rights in the region therefore stand to be restricted on a wide range of grounds, including “national security” and “public morality”. The declaration is further criticised for having too many loopholes that may permit states to bypass international standards. Even Surin Pitsuwan, speaking at the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, admitted: “This document can be improved upon.”

On such substantive matters critical to the well-being of all ASEAN citizens, CSOs have been confronted with ASEAN member-states’ strategy of selective and limited engagement with CSOs to date over the establishment of a human rights regime in the region. The entire project of crafting a human rights regime is pursued purely as an inter-governmental activity.

With no institutionalised mechanism for consultation, CSO engagement has only been accommodated on a piece-meal basis and only because of the tireless advocacy, persistence and pressure by regional CSOs. This state of affairs has neutralised CSOs’ ability to advocate successfully for the protection of human rights in the region.

Such a purely inter-governmental approach is entirely out of step with how inter-governmental organisations such as the UN, the EU and the OAS conduct their own inter-governmental activities. In those mechanisms civil society is mainstreamed into the human rights processes.

In addition to concern over core substantive dilemmas — the lack of real protection of human rights and the failure to meet international standards — the real subtext is the fact that civil society has not been mainstreamed as it should be. Lack of such mainstreaming undermines ASEAN’s own call for a more people-centred community.

Civil society organisations, which have historically played a vital role in advancing the protection of human rights globally, and the media (traditional and new), must continue and intensify their push for more transparency in the ASEAN human rights regime, for the respect of international commitments already binding upon ASEAN states, for the respect for universal standards under the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and for real protection of fundamental rights.

When it comes to the development of human rights in the region, the lack of genuine consultation with CSOs by ASEAN’s member governments reflects the marginalisation of one of the important sectors within the member states. A formal consultation mechanism is vital to the protection of human rights in the region and to the creation of a more people-centred ASEAN.

* Drs James Gomez (Thammasat University) and Robin Ramcharan (Queen’s University Center for International Relations) are authors of the paper “The Protection of Human Rights in Southeast Asia: Improving the Effectiveness of Civil Society Advocacy”.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

At very least allow ALL activites for registered persons in restricted zones for a start.

From the Biblical book of Proverbs (15.33), it says: “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honour.”

The Qur’an (7:94) reads as follows: “Whenever We sent a Prophet to a society, We took up its people in suffering and adversity, in order that they might learn humility.”

One seeking honour must have an attitude of humility and recognising his responsibility to others must be his priority. One such personality among the ordinary citizens is the incumbent PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang.

In his speech at the recent 58th Muktamar PAS in Kelantan, he said, “To become the prime minister is not my aim in politics. I would rather be a slave to the people.”

Be that as it may, the consensus among Pakatan allies is that Anwar Ibrahim will be made the prime minister in the event of the coalition taking over Putrajaya in the 13th general election. Of course, this is not going to make UMNO’s supreme mentor, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, happy.

And Anwar – with his credentials, experience and international exposure – is considered by majority Malaysians to be the most qualified man to head the government.

Becoming a leader is a huge responsibility

As a devout Muslim, Hadi is aware that becoming a leader is a huge responsibility (amanah). As such, he said that “let a prime minister be a person from among those entrusted by the rakyat, who could carry out his duty in good conscience and is blessed by God”.

This unmistakeably testifies that PAS advocates the principle of democracy in politics and the tussle to become the prime minister if Pakatan takes over Putrajaya in the next election does not exist at all.

In fact, according to political observers, there is no issue of any political scrimmage within the Pakatan coalition on the issue of who shall become the prime minister. The understanding on this issue has been generally accepted by all the three parties in Pakatan – PAS, PKR and DAP.

PAS and Pakatan Rakyat are not facing a dearth of leaders. Within PAS there are many among them who have a good religious background, are professional and also well-versed with the economy that could be entrusted to lead the nation.

Notably among them are scientist-cum-economist Dzulkefly Ahmad the Member of Parliament for Kuala Selangor, former deputy governor of Bank Negara, economist and consultant Rosli Yaakop and former Menteri Besar of Perak Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, a Member of Parliament and engineer by profession.

Unpretentiousness is the ethos found among PAS leaders. Political pundits have this to say: Even if a leader from PAS is appointed as prime minister this will not be a cause to worry among the non-Muslims. At present two states in the country have Menteri Besar from PAS – Kelantan and Kedah.

They have performed relatively well in the economic governance of the states even though they come from a religious background.

Nizar was chosen

But the best narration that could allay the fears of non-Muslims over PAS is that of what ensued in Perak in 2008. On 8 March 2008, the Pakatan Rakyat coalition in Perak won 31 seats of the 59 seat Perak State Assembly, which enabled it to form the state government with a simple majority.

The DAP commanded the most seats out of the 31 seats held by Pakatan Rakyat and were initially the claimants to the post of Menteri Besar. However, the Perak State Constitution stipulates that the menteri besar must be of Malay descent, and a non-Malay could only be appointed by a royal waiver by the Perak Palace.

To resolve this, all three parties sent their nominations for the menteri besar post to the Regent of Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah. Reluctant Nizar was chosen over Ngeh Koo Ham of the DAP and Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi of PKR on 12 March 2008 and he sworn in on 17 March 2008 at Istana Iskandariah, Kuala Kangsar.

Nizar from PAS ended up working harmoniously with all the coalition members and proved himself to become a popular menteri besar although his stint as the chief of Perak government was short-lived (17 March 2008 – 12 May 2009). This was after a controversial takeover of the State by Barisan in 2009 when three Pakatan assemblymen left the coalition to become Barisan-friendly.

On 11 May 2009, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the Sultan could not constitutionally remove Nizar from office, and that Nizar had always been the rightful menteri besar. However, Nizar at the end of the day lost the legal proceedings when, in February 2010, the Federal Court ruled Zambry Abdul Kadir from Barisan to be the lawful menteri besar.

In the same year Nizar from PAS won the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election with a thumping victory over the Barisan candidate (Ismail Safian) that made him a member of parliament. He clinched the support of Malays and majority non-Malays in the by-election.

Nizar proved himself as a capable and well-liked menteri besar by all the races in Perak though he represented PAS – an Islamic party. He proved himself that he could handle the state with humility, integrity and fairness.

Thus, a PAS man becoming a leader of a state or nation should not become an issue in multi-racial and democratic Malaysia.

Chua Soi Lek as prime minister

Mahathir, in a media report, was cynical when he proposed that Karpal Singh – DAP Chief, a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament – be chosen as the prime minister in the case Pakatan wins the next general election. This must be akin to suggesting Chua Soi Lek, the MCA President to become the prime minister within the Barisan rank.

By virtue of Mahathir’s statement, if Karpal can become the prime minister of Malaysia there is no wrong then for Chua to be elevated as prime minister in Barisan. Perhaps, UMNO under their supreme guru, Mahathir, can ponder over this matter.

Mahathir insinuated that Pakatan is fractious when it comes to the appointment of a prime minister. Political observers opine that the man Mahathir fears most in life is Anwar. Anwar was ousted from the party in 1998 when Mahathir sensed that he would be sent to the political bin if he did not act fast enough on his ambitious nemesis.

Of course, Mahathir will be the most despondent man on earth if Anwar becomes the next prime minister of the country.

The country is now blessed with a two-party system and this bodes well for the people. There may be some minor differences in Pakatan as opposed to major squabbles in UMNO and Barisan.

UMNO has virtually decimated MCA, MIC and Gerakan by its Malay-centric approach to politics and is now all alone against the mounting crusade from Pakatan against Barisan.

The split in UMNO

Pakatan associates have not split to the extent of forming PKR Baru, DAP Baru or PAS Baru just to chase for the prime minister’s post.

In 1987, for the first time in twelve years, the incumbent President, Mahathir, was challenged by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the Presidency of UMNO. There was a forceful campaign to win the support of the approximately 1,500 delegates from party branches all over the country, who came to elect the party officers.

Some were even accused of money politics during the intense campaigns to decide who would be the president of UMNO and subsequently the prime minister of the country.

The official results declared Mahathir the winner, with 761 votes to Razaleigh’s 718. There was a major split in UMNO after that episode all because of “a prime minister’s post”. The vanquished was not happy and brought the matter to the Court.

UMNO was later declared as an illegal entity by the Court for having some “phantom” branches.

Soon after, UMNO Baru was born – laboriously “delivered” by Mahathir – and Razaleigh left UMNO to form Semangat46. This split in UMNO has remained until today. And Razaleigh until now has not given up his hope to become the prime minister.

As Hadi said, “Becoming a leader is not because one desires to become one. It must be with the blessings of God and with the consent and support of the majority”.

Buzz is now steeping

There are many more senior UMNO proponents tussling, including the Perkasa Chief who is ambitious, to become or be made the prime minister. The incumbent Deputy UMNO President, Muhyiddin Yassin, has his own supporters who would want him to challenge Najib Abdul Razak – the present yet to be endorsed UMNO president – to become the prime minister and this buzz is now steeping in the party.

And Mahathir will not leave this world a happy man until he could be assured that his son Mukhriz is in line to the throne as well. Ambitious Khairy Jamaluddin – UMNO Youth Chief who holds no ministerial post and is more noted for his penchant for football than the welfare of UMNO – who is not in the good book of Mahathir and Najib is also very keen to become prime minister.

It was reported that Khairy did at one time boast that he wanted to become the prime minister before the age 40. His hope however is dashed under the present UMNO set-up.

Another point that should be highlighted here is that money politics has become the malady affecting UMNO party members who have been jostling up the political ladder since 1981. This mucky, corrupt and irreligious norm is not found in PAS, PKR or DAP.

More perceptible within UMNO

Pro-UMNO media is playing up the issue as though Pakatan is split over the choice of a prime minister in the event of Pakatan winning the next general election but this is a non-issue to the non-Malays as well as the Malays.

UMNO and its supreme but unpopular advice-giver have failed to unnerve those who might be concerned about Pas leading a new federal government.

In a nutshell, all the hankering and throbbing to become prime minister is more perceptible within UMNO than any of the Opposition party.

Of course Hadi in a humble way “welcomed” the sincere proposal by the Ulama Wing Chief – a polite gesture on Hadi’s part to please the enthusiastic participants – that he be chosen to become the prime minister.

But wisdom prevailed in him, as he was quick to qualify that his aim in politics was not to become a prime minister. He even warned the participants of the risks of being desperately ambitious in politics.

He then aptly said, “Leadership is a huge trust and a big responsibility. Whoever becomes the prime minister is secondary. The good values of Islam should be upheld. A leader must be trustworthy, not corrupt, of high integrity and who could bring social justice to all Malaysians. And if this is achieved it is enough for me in this world.”

The rakyat have not heard this kind of humble statement springing from any UMNO leader since 1981.

Malaysia Chronicle

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

. . . Becoming a leader is a huge responsibility . . .

Bullsh1t! All an MP needs to do is amend laws en masse with other MPs, and GTFO of Dewan after the 2nd term so that some other Malaysian will have a chance to do some policy work. All the MPs of today do are argue, never forward useful bills and keep apartheid in place by not challenging what is Illegal in the Human Rights Charter and Islam and virtually every faith on the planet. Responbsibility is making CHANGE by ratifying good policy and forwarding amendments to policy. Not keep the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTERA in place (BN), threaten to destroy private property (Gambier Threat – DAP), destroy livilihood of the streetside petty traders (DAP), ask for 750K funerals (DAP), ask for raises for MP and Assemblyman salaries (DAP), or try to impose Hudud on Malaysians (PAS), especially non-Muslim Malaysians, or pass off 8% quorum party elections as valid (PKR) or 0.002% (300 out of 1.5 million) for EXCO posts.

The above makes today’s hateful term limitless and extremely nepotistic MPs, loudmouths without responsibility. ALL an MP needs to do is change a few things by putting a signature down which any street sweeper can happily do. So far nothing useful from either side, lots of mega contracts for 1% cronies but nothing concrete for the 99%.

. . . He then aptly said, “Leadership is a huge trust and a big responsibility. Whoever becomes the prime minister is secondary. The good values of Islam should be upheld. A leader must be trustworthy, not corrupt, of high integrity and who could bring social justice to all Malaysians. And if this is achieved it is enough for me in this world.” . . .

APTLY? Malaysian Chronicle converted to Islam lately? ‘The good values of Islam should be upheld.’ is the vaguest most threatening thing being said as much as President Morsi of Egypt’s ‘Absolutist Decree’ just recently. There are OTHER good values – of other fiaths, of democracy of HUMAN RIGHTS that too many religions attack constantly. WHAT THE HELL is apt about a potential crypto-Islamist statement like that given the neglect of 40% of the population’s seculars or non-Hudu Malays up to 80-95% of Malaysia’s population altogether?

Hadi has NOT addressed the seculars since ‘accepting the PMship’ a week or so ago – Morsi Style! please stop emboldening with this sort of collusion or laziness. Apt? Hadi has forgotten the 40% of non-Muslims and non-Malays as well as possibly 70% of the non-pro-Hudud Malays and Muslims. Malaysia Chronicle sure this can be called ‘APT’? Frankly Malaysian MPs are overpaid, even when a 900 minimum wage cannot be implemented, what business have MPs have to take 23K per month of taxpayer monies? MPs salaries are paid by the Rakyat, did any Rakyat say they deserve 23K? On a 1-Man-1-Vote vote, probably MPs will have their salaries LOWERED to no more than 10 times minimum annual wage which would likely be RM$9000, even as minimum wage of $900 already gets ALL MP’s dragging their feet . . . the Pakatan MPs are term limitless and nepotistic, do not care for the Rakyat, even as BN MPs continue apartheid . . . vote 3rd Force!

Proposed 3rd Force Party

ARTICLE 11

RPK: Do You Think I Give A Crap? – by RAJA PETRA KAMARUDIN – Monday, 05 November 2012 16:25

“More I read your articles, more I have an inclination that you really are on a BN payroll.” – @bengali kunday.

That was what a reader going by the nickname of ‘@bengali kunday’ said. Well, allow me to reply to that.

First of all, even if I am on the payroll of Barisan Nasional, so what? There are people like those in Malaysiakini, Malaysia Chronicle, and so on, who are on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll. In fact, sites like Harakah and many others actually belong to and are financed by Pakatan Rakyat or parties within Pakatan Rakyat. And they do not hide that fact or are apologetic or ashamed about serving the interest of a political party, notwithstanding the fact that it is an opposition party.

Are you implying that it is okay to be on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll but not okay to be on Barisan Nasional’s payroll? Are you also implying that democracy and freedom of choice and freedom of association means you must be on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll but not on Barisan Nasional’s payroll?

What type of democracy is this when you are restricted to serving one party’s interest but not the other? What type of democracy is this when you have no freedom of choice or freedom of association and are obligated to serve one party’s interest but not the other?

You take the moral high ground whenever you feel that someone is serving Barisan Nasional’s interest but you do not demonstrate that same moral outrage if someone is on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll. So-called ‘independent’ human rights organisations such as Suaram openly work for Pakatan Rakyat but that is not repulsive to you. Only if they serve Barisan Nasional’s interest is it repulsive.

Secondly, when I write articles very damaging to Barisan Nasional and Umno – such as my two recent articles this week in The Corridors of Power regarding Umno Sabah – you do not consider that as being on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll. However, if I write just one article that is slightly uncomplimentary to Pakatan Rakyat (in fact, the article that I wrote in which you posted that comment is not even about Pakatan Rakyat or uncomplimentary to Pakatan Rakyat) you consider that as being on Barisan Nasional’s payroll.

To you Pakatan Rakyat supporters, the decent thing to do is to serve Pakatan Rakyat’s interest. Serving any other interest is an indecent thing to do. You decide the moral boundaries and limits of decency and anyone who does not pass your interpretation and yardstick of morality and decency is vilified. Who appointed you the guardian and trustee of morality and decency?

How different are you from the religionists who decide what is moral and what is decent and impose their standards of morality and decency on others? Since Muslims represent the majority population in Malaysia can Muslims then, going by the doctrine of democracy where majority rules, impose their Islamic interpretation of morality and decency on the minority?

Since the majority dictates the ground rules then surely what is compatible to Islam should prevail and anything repulsive to Islam should be barred. In that case the Islamic Sharia law, Hudud included, should be the law of the land. Muslims who are the majority in Malaysia should decide what is moral and what is decent and Islam must be the code of conduct that all Malaysians should live by.

Religionists such as Muslims, even if they are the majority in Malaysia, should not impose their will on Malaysians, even on fellow Muslims, let alone on the non-Muslims. So why should you impose your will on others? The believers of Islam should not vilify those who are not of the Muslim faith. Why should the believers of Pakatan Rakyat vilify those who are not of the opposition faith?

When misguided Muslims adopt the ‘either you are with us or you are against us’ religious doctrine, you find that revolting, indecent and immoral. But you can adopt the ‘either you are with us or you are against us’ political doctrine and it is not revolting, indecent and immoral.

What kind of hypocritical double standard is this? You resent it when others impose their will on you and when they decide what is tolerable, moral and decent. But you can impose your will on others and decide what is tolerable, moral and decent. Can you see the hypocrisy that is so thick you can cut it with a knife?

Do you think I care a sh** about Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat? Do you think I care a sh** whether Barisan Nasional retains power or Pakatan Rakyat gains power? Do you think my life is only about the general elections and about who gets to march into Putrajaya? That is a very narrow way to look at life.

Do you honestly think that my mission in life is to make sure that Barisan Nasional does not get kicked out? Do you honestly think that my mission in life is to ensure that Pakatan Rakyat gets to form the next federal government? You have a very narrow mission in life. Do not imagine that my mission in life is as narrow as yours.

Politicians are politicians, never mind from which side of the political divide. And the narrow objective of all politicians is merely to get into power. What makes you think that that is also my very narrow objective? If you think that then you have not been reading properly what I have been writing over these last 35 years.

You Pakatan Rakyat supporters are still too immature. And that is why Pakatan Rakyat is not ready to run the country. Pakatan Rakyat supporters first need to gain some maturity before Pakatan Rakyat can be allowed to form the federal government. You need to suffer another term under Barisan Nasional. This suffering might then wake you up and only when you wake up can we talk about a change of government.

Yes, do keep whacking me. Continue to vilify me. And when you do I will do everything within my power to make sure that the coming general election is going to result in a huge shock and disappointment for you.

Never give a flower to a monkey, the Malays would say. That is like throwing pearls to swine, the English say. And that is how I look at some of you Pakatan Rakyat supporters, monkeys and swine that are not ready to be entrusted with power.

So you want to fight. So let’s fight. I have nothing to lose because I don’t care a sh** which side is going to win the coming general election. That is what you want. That is not what I want. Just because that is what you want you have this mistaken notion that that is what I also want.

What stupid people you are. If I support Pakatan Rakyat then I am God. If I do not support Pakatan Rakyat then I am a Barisan Nasional stooge. Well, let me break it to you gently. I am neither God not a Barisan Nasional stooge. I am an independent-spirited individual who does not care a sh** about losers like you.

It is true that there are things that we Malaysians should be proud of, and be thankful for. It is equally true that many things are not well in our country. They have not been well for some time now.

Matters of safety and security, price hikes, education, issues of equal opportunities and equal treatment, constriction of various forms of freedom, marginalization of several segments of society, the failing justice system, corruption in the public sector, the rising denial syndromes, the arrogance of wrongdoers nourished by their repeated ability to get off scot-free, and the numbness of the public reaction towards misdeeds and the lack of accountability, just to describe a few.

Many of the ills that we complain about in our society are the symptoms of the underlying causes. Some of the major root causes are:

(a) epidemic corruption in a system that does little to prohibit or redress it,

(b) lack of a system of transparency and accountability,

(c) the suppression of various freedoms so as to turn a silent majority into a silenced majority,

(d) a Government that is more interested in commanding than serving,

(e) a Parliament whose overwhelming majority cares more about power-consolidation than nation-building, and

(f) a weak “last bastion” in the form of a failing justice system.

Breaking point

Can things be allowed to go on this way? Can we afford to do so?

Should our future generations suffer the consequences of our permissiveness?

It is quite obvious that we need a better Government and a better Parliament.

But that will not happen if we, the citizens of Malaysia , do little more than blaming the Government and criticizing our Members of Parliament. It is we who put our MPs in the Parliament. It is we who must take the ultimate responsibility.The buck stops at each and every one of us.

My earnest appeal to everyone is therefore as follows:

– discuss the need for a better Parliament and a better Government, with your family members, colleagues, friends and persons close to you;

– make it a point to go and vote in the next election, and to vote for change and for betterment; discard the notion or excuse that your single vote will not matter;

– discard the notion or excuse that politics is dirty and all politicians are the same, and therefore that there is no point in voting;

– influence and encourage as many of your family members, colleagues, friends and persons close to you as possible, to come out and vote for change and for betterment in the coming election.

Meaningless to gripe if you don’t VOTE

It is meaningless for us to complain about our Parliamentarians and the Government, if we do not first discharge a simple but sacrosanct duty of choice.

Let us all take the time to look into the beautiful but expectant eyes of our children, and of the children of many others for whom we care.

The future of our nation is meant for them. But millions of them cannot vote. They put their fate in our hands. They rely on us not just for their present living and support. They rely on us, too, to vote for a better future for them.

And after discharging our duty to vote, we must continue to be vigilant, and ensure that our elected representatives account for their actions, and make good their promises.

I humbly suggest to you that change and betterment are not empty dreams, if all of us play our respective parts. I invite you, and I urge you, to answer my appeal as set out above.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Yeo Yang Poh

(former Bar Council President)

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

So says the ‘great legal mind’ who propped up Mahathir’s racist corrupt government and sat silently while in power as Bar President while APARTHEID of BUMIPUTRA and OPs Lallang went on. This legal beagle (no eagle even though was Bar Council President) Yeo Yang Poh entirely failed his watch, did not challenge Malaysia’s failed state throughout the 1970s to 1990s.

The legal fraternity worldwide should blackball this failure Yeo and also the Bar Council of today as well for not challenging apartheid. And now Yeo thinks that writing an ‘open letter’ will exhonerate such neglect and tacit approval of such Malaysian racism, corruption, illegal actions and general malaise? Liar and traitor to all Malaysian, traitor to minorities, traitor to ETHICS and the integrity of the legal system! Shame on Yeo Yang Poh for never raising the possibility of ending the APARTHEID OF BUMIPUTRA!

Malaysia Chronicle must be getting chronic to allow such people to post articles on their media article. Cynical media portal featuring cynical letters from supposed learned writers who sellout the 99% of citizens!

ARTICLE 13

DON’T BE SO ‘ULU’ UMNO: Stop the May 13 threats, have the GUTS to compete on level ground! – by Lim Kit Siang – Friday, 30 November 2012 15:44

The irresponsible threats raised by UMNO leaders at the 66th UMNO General Assembly of “May 13” and chaos if UMNO loses the 13th General Election, falsely claiming that Malays will lose political power and will be rendered “destitute in our own land”, is the best proof of the failure and hypocrisy of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia policy.

If the 1Malaysia Policy proclaimed by Najib after he became Prime Minister in in April 2009 is more than election gimmicks for votes in the 13GE, its philosophy “to create a Malaysian nation where every Malaysian will regard himself or herself as Malaysian first and race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic status second” should have been the guiding spirit of speeches of UMNO/BN leaders and their party conferences.

But this is clearly not the case despite the onset of the 43rd month of Najib’s premiership, as illustrated by the 66th Umno General Assembly.

In the first place, an Umno/BN leader fully imbued by the 1Malaysia spirit of “Malaysian first and race, religion, geography or socio-economic status second” would never entertain any notion let alone utter any threat of May 13 or chaos regardless of the outcome of the forthcoming 13th general election, as anyone who could toy with any May 13 threat or warning of chaos because of the free democratic choice of Malaysians in the 13th general election has not only failed to imbibe the spirit of 1Malaysia, but is acting in a most disloyal and unpatriotic manner utterly heedless of the higher interests of the nation and the best future for the country.

Felled by own falsehoods

Such disloyal and unpatriotic notions is all the more reprehensible as they are built on despicable lies and falsehoods, that the defeat of UMNO in the 13th GE will result in the loss of political power of the Malays resulting in the Malays, to quote one speech: “..if we go down in this struggle, we do not have anything left. Pakatan will be brought down to their knees, and eventually become destitute in our own land”.

That fate may befall UMNO leaders – and that is if UMNO is incapable of reform even after being ousted from Putrajaya – but definitely it will not be the fate of the Malays.

This is because replacing UMNO/BN in Putrajaya will be the Pakatan Rakyat coalition comprising PKR, PAS and DAP – comprising Malaysians from all races, religions and regions representing the best interests of all.

Do MCA and the other BN component parties agree that if UMNO/BN loses in the 13GE, the Malays will lose political power?

MCA leaders are in fact saying the very opposite – telling the Chinese that if Pakatan Rakyat defeat UMNO/BN in the next general elections, the Chinese will lose even more political, economic, educational, socio-economic and citizenship rights!

Only the corrupt will lose power

Let UMNO and MCA leaders decide on one common message – whether it is the Malays or Chinese who will lose political power if UMNO/BN is replaced by Pakatan Rakyat in the 13GE.

The true answer is that it is not the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans who will lose political power but the UMNO-putras and their hangers-on in the other BN component parties – with ordinary Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region coming into their own to have rightful share in the decision-making process in a more democratic Malaysia.

It is time that UMNO and MCA leaders stop their irresponsible politics of “divide and rule” and compete with Pakatan Rakyat parties instead on “unite and rule” for a more democratic, just, prosperous and competitive Malaysia.

Lim Kit Siang is the DAP adviser & MP for Ipoh Timur

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Shaddap and GTFO of Dewan nepotistic term limitless creep!

DON’T BE SO ‘ULU’ DAP: Stop the APARTHEID OF BUMIPUTRA, have the GUTS to DEMAND level ground (below 3 items)!

Such disloyal and unpatriotic notions is all the more reprehensible as they are built on despicable lies and falsehoods, that the defeat of DAP in the 13th GE will result in the loss of political power of the Lim Family Bloc, Anwar Family Bloc and Karpal Family Blocs resulting in the family blocs, to quote one speech: “. . . if Pakatan goes down in this struggle, Pakatan does not have anything left. Pakatan will be(ing) brought down to their knees, and eventually become destitute in Pakatan’s own constituencies” to the empowerment of 3rd Force and the very rare handful of honest politicians within BN who subscribe top the above 3 items.

That fate may befall UMNO leaders – and that is if UMNO is incapable of reform even after being ousted from Putrajaya – but definitely it will not be the fate of the Malays.

This is because replacing UMNO/BN in Putrajaya will be the Pakatan Rakyat coalition comprising PKR, PAS and DAP – comprising Malaysians from all races, religions and regions representing the best interests of all.

Do MCA and the other BN component parties agree that if UMNO/BN loses in the 13GE, the Malays will lose political power?

MCA leaders are in fact saying the very opposite – telling the Chinese that if Pakatan Rakyat defeat UMNO/BN in the next general elections, the Chinese will lose even more political, economic, educational, socio-economic and citizenship rights!

Only the nepotistic and term limitless will lose power.

The true answer is that it is not the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans who will lose political power but the DAP-putras and their hangers-on in the other Pakatan component parties – with ordinary Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region coming into their own to have rightful share in the decision-making process in a more democratic Malaysia by removing term limitless Lim Kitsiangs and Karpals and their families from family blocs in Parliament.

It is time that DAP and PKR leaders stop their irresponsible politics of “falsely-unify and rule-by-kicking out members and being dictators PAP style” and compete to match 3rd Force instead on “TERM LIMITS and END OF NEPOTISM” for a more democratic, just, prosperous and competitive Malaysia.

TWO important decisions at the recently concluded 21st Asean Summit in Phnom Penh were: the launch of the Asean Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and delaying the launch of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) by 12 months, from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2015, to iron out pending issues and prepare the necessary regulations.

RCEP is forged as an alliance between Asean and its six dialogue partners — Australia, China, India, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand — to create a free trade area with great potential for gains through economic cooperation.

To date, numerous free trade agreements (FTAs) and economic partnership agreements (EPAs) have been concluded between single Asean member nations and by Asean as a group with individual dialogue partners. However, the overlapping priorities, procedures and practices have reduced the effectiveness and the potential benefits of these agreements since businesses have to observe the different rules of these various arrangements while it has also increased the cost of utilising preferential concessions.

It is in that context that the Asean RCEP agreement, with its region-wide partners, has the potential to reduce the complexity arising from the current multiplicity of agreements by agreeing on a single package and focusing on Asean’s centrality in the region.

Second, RCEP would be a basis for more complementary regional integration initiatives, since the partnership is to be built on the experiences, strengths and drawbacks of the many existing FTAs and EPAs.

It is also hoped that the Asean RCEP could spur efforts to set up an FTA between China, Japan and South Korea, a prospect faced with several impediments still to be resolved. Once established on a firm footing among the three northeast Asian nations, it can certainly enhance further regional economic integration.

All these positive aspirations and moves to achieve effective regional economic integration pivot on the countries concerned strengthening their commitment to, and being ready to work towards, that very goal, both among Asean members and their dialogue partners.

And, it is here, that the decision to delay by 12 months the launching of the AEC becomes critical. In that time frame, all Asean members must make progress to fulfil and implement the agreed road map and targeted actions for the AEC. That must surely be a prerequisite for realising the broader goal of regional economic integration.

One should also keep in mind that RCEP might be perceived as a competitor to the United States-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). At present, only Australia, Brunei, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam are a part of the TPP, while several other Asean members and dialogue partners, notably China, are not — a fact that could cause conflict of interests and derail effective economic integration.

Such a situation, if not clearly demarcated so that both the TPP and RCEP mutually benefit its members, could easily complicate further the existing and planned business pacts in the region, and frustrate efforts to achieve effective regional economic integration.

Malaysia, as a founding Asean member, having successful economic ties with all major countries and given its presence in both the TPP and RCEP, can and should play a key role in helping to promote the success of the AEC and the wider goal of regional economic integration, especially in the current context of a globalised economic and trading regime.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

No. Malaysia may be a founding member of ASEAN, but has institutionalized apartheid in the social economic system and is nominally Islamo-extremist and Nazi style ethnic communalist to a certain level alongside extreme religious fundo-mindsets against LGBTs and other non-Muslim entertainments. These facts render Malaysia non-viable as an ASEAN signatory until corrected. So long as Malaysia has denied the minorities and non-Muslims :

Malaysia’s role in ASEAN will be limited and biased, value deducted and disunifying from sheer inequality of the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTRA applied against the superminority of 40% of the non-Muslim and non-Malay population.

This is supposed to be one of our ‘better’ less fundo ‘more liberal’ Malays. England has extended far too much courtesy and spotlight to this duplicituous sorry specimen of humanity while ignoring worthier Malaysian citizens.

ARTICLE 15

The women haters in Parliament – November 28, 2012

NOV 28 — So, we now have rules in Parliament to stop lawmakers from saying sexist things.

You can stop them saying sexist things but it doesn’t change their mentality. It doesn’t change the fact that both Umno and PAS have chauvinists in their ranks who demean women with their words and actions.

This is also the same man who said attractive women shouldn’t work as they can get husbands, unlike their “uglier” brethren.

If I were to tell one of our chauvinistic MPs to his face that he hated women, he would probably reply, “Of course, not! I love women!”

Of course you do.

You love having women in your kitchen.

You love having women in your bedroom.

You love women when they tell you you’re right. When they agree with you. When they’re meek, pliable and not nearly as good at anything you do.

And when some woman tells you off for something like sexism or chauvinism, you brush her off as some “man-hating feminist.”

There’s a big difference between chauvinism and chivalry, but to some Malaysian men, they seem to be one and the same.

You don’t have to be an MP to be sexist. Take former Umno Kota Kinabalu protem head, Roselan Johar Mohamed, who is famous not because he is current chair of the BIMP-Eeaga Malaysian Business Council but for saying “If you cannot fight rape, better lay down and enjoy it.”

He claims he got that from a proverb by Confucius. I counter with a real quote from Confucius: “To subdue one’s self and return to propriety, is virtue.” Or, in other words, the right thing to do is have enough self-control to conduct yourself properly.

By that measure, too many of our politicians are very un-virtuous indeed.

It’s not just the way our male politicians talk about women but the way female politicians are treated in this country.

Why the need for separate women’s wings? Why, for instance, can’t a woman contest for leadership positions against men in our political parties?

Why must there be separate wings and positions just for the women?

Why can’t, say, a woman be the division head for Umno Selangor? Heck, why can’t a woman be the mentri besar? Why aren’t any of the mentri besar women? Where in our constitution does it specify that a woman cannot be head of state?

The reality is that sexism and chauvinism are entrenched in our local as well as political cultures. Telling our MPs to be “good boys” in Parliament isn’t enough because all our men need to be taught to acknowledge women as equals.

Sexism, like racism, is something that will never really go away. But it doesn’t mean that we can’t do our level best to fight them.

You can start small by gently reprimanding someone like Bung by saying, “That’s a sexist thing to say.”

Mentally, feel free to imagine hitting him about the head with a rolled up newspaper. Even virtue has its limits.

(The writer would like to emphasise that she suggested to “imagine” and not actually perform acts of violence, no matter how tempting.)

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

i) You can stop them saying sexist things but it doesn’t change their mentality.

Hey you can’t stop people from thinking or saying what they want ‘Erna’. 1st Amendment Rights, Voltarian FREEDOM OF SPEECH (freedom of life)!

ii) It doesn’t change the fact that both Umno and PAS have chauvinists in their ranks who demean women with their words and actions.

Doesn’t change the fact that SOME women do prefer chauvinistic men enough to ignore any incidental ‘demeaning’ of women.

iii) Why the need for separate women’s wings? Why, for instance, can’t a woman contest for leadership positions against men in our political parties?

Erna are you a Muslim? UMNO and PAS are Muslim parties, seperate wings in fact are ‘Muslim Characteristics’, even though Malays are not Muslims to begin with. If Erna needs to be apostate, Erna should leave Islam, but do not try to change Islam’s gender segregation. In time Islam will become a petty cult with the relic of gender seperation, this does not mean that Islam should change.

iv) Heck, why can’t a woman be the mentri besar? Why aren’t any of the mentri besar women? Where in our constitution does it specify that a woman cannot be head of state?

Do some work to declare Malaysia a secular state don’t compl;ain here. In Islam, the Patriarchy is dominant, if Islam is the faith of the country, all Muslims should be aware that only men are MBs or CMs.Run for politics instead of carrying b@lls on the media portals. How about Erna run as the first apostate Malay woman MP candidate who will forward a bill for MBs to be women, or declaring Malaysia a secualar state Erna?

v) The reality is that sexism and chauvinism are entrenched in our local as well as political cultures.

AND some women like things this way too. And so long as there is demand, there will be supply.

vi) Telling our MPs to be “good boys” in Parliament isn’t enough because all our men need to be taught to acknowledge women as equals.

ALL OUR MEN? Sorry Erna, women are not the same as men, or vice versa, NOR are men ‘yours’, and cannot be equals in the manner hoped for. Some women recognize this, some can’t. Are you a lesbian or a man trapped in a woman’s body Erna? Erna should have a sex change needed, or if bigendered in preference, lobby for ‘shemale’ to be included on ICs, Passports and perhaps even specil notes on birth certificates stating sex change or bigenderism.

vii) Mentally, feel free to imagine hitting him about the head with a rolled up newspaper. Even virtue has its limits.

Somone’s into rough !@#. Nice! I’d say Erna is a closet lesbian, a man in a woman’s body (too many male hormones in food?), or (secretly?) wants to be dominated by a ‘Bung-like’ man.

viii) You love women when they tell you you’re right. When they agree with you. When they’re meek, pliable and not nearly as good at anything you do.

Some do some don’t. And as the song goes ‘ There’s someone for everyone . . .’ So stop picking on actually meek, pliable and ditzy women who are the raison d’etre of misogynistic men as much as meek, as much as pliable and ditzy women posing as such to seek the love of men they like even if these men are on the mental plane chauvinists! Some gaps in logic? Love and marriage is that nuanced, harems polygamous and polyandrous included . . . try the below link for some pretty normal looking polygamous families.

Under the correct circumstances, or without the right backers, the state would haul Erna up and decide Erna was insane and needed to be medicated the rest of Erna’s life. How absolutist can anyone get and without thinking through the above facts if not merely being a feminist demogogue intent on limiting the myriad forms of expression in marriage?

BERA – The government has tasked two cooperatives to get more Chinese traders to participate in the Retail Shop Transformation Project (Tukar) which has attracted less than 10 per cent of entrepreneurs from the community so far, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said here.

The government had also provided an allocation of RM8 million to the cooperatives – Koperasi Jaya Diri Malaysia Bhd and Koperasi Peralihan Usahawan Bersatu Cina – to do the job, which involved disseminating information on the project in Chinese to the targeted traders, he said.

Ismail Sabri said Chinese traders were reluctant to participate in the project because they could not obtain clear explanation of the project.

“We hope the two cooperatives will help disseminate the relevant information on Tukar in Chinese dialects to the traders for them to better understand the project,” he told reporters after a dialogue with Chinese traders in Triang, here, yesterday.

Tukar is one of 13 Entry Point Projects under the Economic Transformation Programme to modernise 500 small retailers and co-operatives by the end of the year.

Ismail Sabri said it was not necessary for traders joining the Tukar project to sell only 1Malaysia products at their outlets as they could also sell other goods.

“The management of the business is upgraded under the Tukar project to be more systematic,” he said.

– Bernama

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Wednesday, 28 November 2012 20:00 posted by VQiong

Only opportunistic MCA cadre participated. No honourable Chinese will take up the offer.

ARTICLE 15

Muhyiddin: We are just and fair to all races – Wednesday, 28 November 2012 16:14

KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO’S track record of being a just and fair party to all races compares favourably with the dysfunctional state governments ruled by Pakatan Rakyat since the 2008 general election.

Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Pakatan leaders, so used to stoking racial sentiments and religious extremism, had alienated each other in states under its rule.

He said a deep mistrust, racial and religious chasm and differing ideologies and political beliefs could seal Pakatan’s fate.

In a rousing speech at the joint opening of the Wanita, Youth and Puteri delegates’ conference last night ahead of the party’s annual general assembly, Muhyiddin said:

“In Penang, DAP refuses to share power with Pas which has only one representative in the state assembly. Until today, none of the Pas members has been appointed as state executive council members.

“DAP went to the extent of appointing a Parti Keadilan Rakyat representative to handle the state religious portfolio although it knew that Pas was more qualified.

“Similarly in Kedah, the sole DAP assemblyman was not appointed as an exco in the Pas-ruled state while in Selangor, a Pas exco member and a DAP exco member had once clashed over the enforcement of Islamic laws in the PKR-led state.”

Muhyiddin added Pakatan’s win in the last general election served, therefore, as “a blessing in disguise for Barisan Nasional because it exposed its inability to work with each other”.

He said power sharing among opposition leaders “had never existed” because of mistrust.

As for Umno, the deputy prime minister said the party continued to protect the interests of all races.

“Umno has never discriminated against any race in its struggles for the Malays and Islam in the last 66 years.”

In an indirect reference to PKR’s de facto leader, Muhyiddin hit out at “an opposition leader” whom he said had requested help from a foreign country to oversee the electoral process.

“He is telling lies to the whole world that our election process is not clean. This is treason and a dirty tactic by a desperado.”

He said Malaysia under the BN administration had never reneged on its power-sharing promises in governing the country.

He also called on party members to give their all in the final lap before the general election.

“As party frontliners, Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri are the workhorses (pasukan tahan lasak). Go to all corners of the country and the cities, traverse valleys and the rivers, uphold our struggles and, God willing, we will parade our victory torch (in the general election).”

– New Straits Times

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Muhyiddin: We are just and fair to all races.

NO, BN and UMNO are not just or fair to all races. Muhyiddin is not fair to all races. There is no justice or fairness without :

We view with serious concerns the Malaysian government’s invitation to Sri Lankan President Mahinder Rajapaksa to attend the 8th World Islamic Economic Forum from December 4 to 6 (despite the latest report that he may not be attending).

This invitation is certainly disgraceful and outrageous as President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a suspected war criminal for mass atrocities committed by the Sri Lankan army including the massacres of Tamil civilians and captured LTTE fighters, targeted shelling of civilians, rape, sexual assault, abuse and murder. In April 2011, a UN expert report concluded that as many as 40,000 people were killed in the final weeks of the war between the LTTE and government forces.

Although Malaysia is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), on 9 February, 2009 the government in its presentation at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UNHRC stated that “Malaysia has undertaken a detailed study and held consultations to study the legal implications arising from the provisions of the Rome Statute. Despite several concerns, Malaysia is fully committed to the principles and the establishment of the ICC and their integrity.”

We therefore urge the Malaysian government to rescind the invitation to President Mahinda Rajapaksa as this invitation would send damaging signals to victims of mass atrocity in Sri Lanka and globally, Sri Lankan refugees worldwide including in Malaysia, and undermine Malaysia’s credibility on issues of justice and the principles of the ICC.

Seatbelts not fastened, but do we really want to be fined? Get the 222 MPs to remove the fine! If any driver wants to die in an accident from not wearing seatbelts (which is not likely in slow paced jammed up roads in the cities), thats their right to do so.

But fining people only profiteers off the citizens! RM150 is EXCESSIVE especially from this sort of ‘victimless traffic offence’ thing. Was anyone hurt because the driver was not wearing a seatbelt? Was the driver driving quickly? Was the driver doing so many maneuvers with the car that needed a seatbelt to be worn? So the driver without seatbelt on might just be enjoying a sense of FREEDOM and not being bound into a seat to better enjoy a car ride while NOT being criminal minded. WHY does the traffic code need to be so invasive and consider this a crime? Who wrote the code? Also consider that a person who earns less than 1500 a month and barely saves 150 a month is effectively being bled to death by this sort of fine for a traffic offence.

I strongly suggest that 1% of salaries by applied for fining, and NO FINE by applied for those not currently working. This means that a 1000.00 earner pays 10.00 for a traffic offence, with 3% and 10% being levied for more serious or dangerous offences. Just wait till I get my MP’s seat, prepare for MASSIVE overhauls of the system, so are we ready to vote and run for election alongside moi on this issue at least?

Percentage of salary based fines and bails (which seem to all say one thing – the rich are immune to justice and do not feel the pain of fines . . . ) BTW, the officer was ‘kind’ enough to offer to ‘ignore’ the 150 fine for a 50 ‘duit kopi’, but even though moi could have put the money to better use, some of us would rather pay the full 150 than encourage bribery and corruption in the police force. BUT BECAUSE some of us also do not believe in destroying a civil servants life with a brownnoser style report, I’ll leave the reporting of the bribery issue alone (no bribe paid anyway) and take on the state instead by running for candidacy (by proxy perhaps) simply to lower those damn fines or even amend the criminal codes as well. Whats the point of this sort of shameless profiteering?

Oh and the wheel clamp fine by police is excessive also, 50.00? What a waste of time and productivity, citizens may have slower traffic but saving money and time making trips to the payment counter makes for a happier citizen likelier to vote for the existing government. Plastic bags 0.20 cents? 0.05 cents more likely! To inform, out of sheer spirit some citizens hit with fines may not want to riot or turn cop-killers, but they sure as hell will try to screw the system if the system screws them. Whos’s with the 99% in screwing back the system by making fines salary based through forcing MPs to assent to the above by voting someone else? Lets amend the criminal code by kicking out the BN and Pakatan MPs! End the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTRA! BN and Pakatan look set to not grant :

;so why should we vote them and their 23K salaries? 99% are we ready to vote 3rd Force? Lets LOWER all MP salaries and traffic fines, ditch the Hudud elements in the criinal code ESPECIALLY for non-Muslims and by Human Rights ALLOW Muslims who really want to have Article 18 of the Human Rights Charter their right to exercise what the rest of HUMANITY can!

Young voters will be kingmakers in elections, says Khairy NEWS/COMMENTARIES Saturday, 16 June 2012 Super Admin

(The Star) – Young voters will be the kingmakers of the next general election, as they make up almost 40% of the electorate. Barisan Nasional Youth chief Khairy Jamalluddin said the support of the youth would “make or break” the party’s future, and called for the youth movement to continue engaging their peers.

“Calculations and projections show that the result (of the election) will depend on new voters, and many of the new voters are young voters. They will be kingmakers,” he told reporters after launching the PPP Youth convention here on Saturday.

He said that research conducted early this year indicated that 62% of young voters have yet to decide on whom to vote for and Khairy called on youth leaders to reach out to them.

“Many young voters are still neutral, and we must engage them. Not through traditional political programmes like ceramahs, as most who attend ceramahs have already decided.

“We can have outreach and community projects through institutions of higher learning and non-governmental organisations,” he said.

There are some two million new voters out of a total of 13 million, and Khairy said it would be a challenge convincing them as they “have a mind of their own”.

“They still read the mainstream newspapers, but they also read the online portals and are active on social media. They will read everything and decide which argument they believe in,” he said.

To drive the point home, Khairy, who is Rembau MP, used his constituency as an example.

“In 2008, there were 60,000 voters in Rembau, and now there are 73,000. I won by a 6,000 majority.

“If all 13,000 of new voters are against me, I can close shop,” he said.

While he admitted that it was tiring to remain in a constant state of preparedness, Khairy called on Barisan youth members to continue their hard work to win over the people.

“It is very tiring with a moving election date,” he said, referring to speculations which predicted the general election would be held late last year, and early and middle of this year.

He said Barisan Youth have been ready since last year and had been “sprinting a 100m race since”.

“But in reality we are running a marathon at a sprinting pace,” he said.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

No kingmakers will be kingmakers at all as long as they are racists. There is nothing kingly about wanting to keep an apartheid system in place. And a true Maker never would accept apartheid. Those who have had their 2 terms and done nothing except generate bad feelings in near 2/3rds of the world’s populations should step aside. Those who have never raised racism before will be better choices as ‘kingmakers’.

ARTICLE 2

UMNO and its hijacking of an Ancient Covenant – FROM AROUND THE BLOGS – Saturday, 16 June 2012 Super Admin – SAKMONGKOL AK47

Nizar jamaludin, former MB of Perak is in a pickle nowadays. We can’t leave him alone though because he represents the people. What happens to him could also happen to us later when we, out of public spiritedness raise an issue involving the royalty. So, the rakyat must continue to speak because, we actually do remember the tenets of Malay customs and etiquette.

I can’t offer Nizar Jamaludin any ideas on how to resolve his predicament with the Johor Monarchy. Perhaps he may have to offer momentary lapse of memory as defense. He has simply forgotten an important ingredient in Malay custom. He will not suffer embarrassment if he adopts this defense because others more prominent than him have chosen to adopt selective recollection. Mahathir forgot so many things when faced with the issue on the VK Lingam tapes. Or Nizar embraces humility and admits that he is stupid in this area.

But which part of the Malay custom are we talking about? This article seeks to explore the corruption of a very important component of the Malay customs and etiquette – his relationship with the Malay ruler. That relationship is represented by a code of conduct expressed in the avowal Pantang Melayu Derhaka! This is probably the part of the Malay customs and etiquette which is referred to. This is the underlying and awe-inspiring code of conduct that regulates the relationship of the Malay subject with his ruler. Pushed to its extreme form, this code of conduct leads to the blasphemous deification of another human being. That however is a separate matter best left to Islamic theologians to debate as the deification of another human being, means making the human equal to the Almighty.

This subject has recently come to the fore when Nizar the former MB of Perak tweeted his discomfort on the amount of money spent to acquire a car number plate. His tweet invited the ire of Johor youths. UMNO youth Johor was quick to exploit the issue. What was it that Nizar said that raised so much venomous response from the axe to- grind UMNO youths?

Can the unease of one person upset the whole institutional structure that has always upheld the position of Malay Monarchy? Nizar’s grumblings were not directed at the person of the ruler or at the institution. What Nizar did was to raise the issue of indecent spending. This wasn’t a case of disputing whose money it is. Even if it’s your money, if it’s applied in a controversial manner, ownership of the money is irrelevant. Nizar said out loud his opinion against the `idea’ of indecent spending. The better idea on such a large amount of money would be to apply it to socially beneficial ends.

When the late Zakaria built his mansion amidst the squalor of Pandamaran a few years back, the issue was the building of a palatial home amidst the hovels in Pandamaran. The behavior was indecent.

Since the issue has been politicized, we will take it from there. So, now we are interested in the politics behind the avowal. The Malay Monarchy is the symbol into which is invested special meanings which are sometimes operated as tool for political expediencies. In the hands of UMNO, the special meanings invested are mostly used for political convenience as exemplified in the recent gathering of the so called absolute loyalists before the Johor Monarch.

Would anyone subscribe to the view that behind the pretentious display of undying loyalty, it’s only UMNO that upholds the institution of the Malay monarch? If anyone does, then he has forgotten that in 1993, it was UMNO which mobilized the whole nation into a frenzy demanding doing the King Philip and Marie Antoinette thing on the Malay Monarch.

Because in the hands of manipulative UMNO, the primordial code of conduct is now being used as the measure of one’s Malayness, loyalty and patriotism all at once. The Malay who appears as straying from the measure is to be taken as someone who has violated the meaning of being Malay. In UMNO’s twisted political lexicon, unconditional loyalty to the institution of the Malay monarch forms an indispensable and mandatory cultural DNA. Without which, one ceases to be Malay enough deserving of support and communion with fellow Malays.

The avowal can universally be translated to mean, the people shall never be disloyal to the king. The term disloyal is used in its most general forms. The common man never trespass the king in any way and form; never shall he insult the king in mind, never speak evil and more so does not commit trespass of the person upon the king. The term treason is also a close description. Used in these terms, UMNO and its surrogate NGOs can then brand Nizar, his party and all those who support Nizar as unMalay, unpatriotic and disloyal. It is this vicious use that we are now objecting. UMNO cannot now claim to be sanctimonious when what they attempted to do to the Malay Monarchy in 1993 was clearly worse and disloyal.

We turn to the venerable Sejarah Melayu or Malay Annals to search for the origins of this avowal. It is there, that this covenant which was to form the basis to measure the Malay’s cultural affinity and ethnic oneness originated.

Commentator Comments :

…
written by malsia1206, June 16, 2012 17:49:02
The Johore Sultan was reported to be angry with Nizar for having made his comments which HRH said Nizar knew nothing much. If that be so, why did HRH not take upon himself the opportunity to come out with his explanation where and how Nizar had erred?
HRH has the right to a rebuttal. Instead, he took a swipe at Nizar. Next, we see this rally of thosands gathering to support the Royalty.
These do not get us anywhere nearer to how, why and whether it makes sense to spend RMxxx on a certain specific car plate number. To each his own, yes, that I can agree. But remember when you are holding that special prerogative of a high-end position, your personal action is naturally and nevertheless subject to scrutiny as long as it was not done mala-fide or with any ill-intention.
Nizar was quick to extend his apology if his remarks were taken to hurt any one. But, for his good unexplained reason(s), HRH seemed to have gone for the jugular. That’s my impression, anyway.
+12

…
written by singhkris, June 16, 2012 17:12:05
We hear all kinds of edicts from Their Royal Highnesses – Malays must unite, dont take part in assemblies, dont politicise water. Malaysia fares very badly in the corruption index every year. Can we hear something from Their Highnesses regularly to condemn corruption?

…
written by Aku, June 16, 2012 14:43:08
The question is do the royalties know that the rakyat accorded them special privilege to rule with justice and kindness? They are under the sovereignty of the Almighty, just like everyone else, and the rakyat trust the Almighty. When a royalty does something indecent, he is to be judged according to the privilege, with the same condition of justice and kindness, the rakyat accorded him, and his position is not absolute. When they are not aware of this special privilege, and take it upon themselves to abuse it, the rakyat have every right to question.
+33

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The common man never trespass the king in any way and form; never shall he insult the king in mind, never speak evil and more so does not commit trespass of the person upon the king. True . . . EXCEPTING, the UNCOMMON man, and also anytime where unkingly behaviour is displayed by a king needing reminder that the behaviour (in most cases neglect of Asabiya and UNHCR Article 1 non-compliance for Malaysia’s case) must be corrected. This is part logos (the only criteria) versus ethos of ‘Kinghood’ and the ability of the incautious or undiplomatic (i.e. those who communicate offensively) to escape to proxy countries. And those who resort to pathos have no standing on issues that clearly demarcate what is civilised behaviour and fair treatment.

I quite like the way people in authority attempt to solve various problems in Malaysia.

A long time ago, safety helmets were made compulsory for every motorcyclist and pillion rider. Thereafter, some smarty-pants wore helmets with visors to rob banks. Although I was still in school at that time, I remember the so-called solution which our authority came up with to solve that problem. They simply banned helmets with visors. Problem solved, right?

Many years ago there were concerns over deaths caused by accidents involving water-scooters in Penang beaches. Of course, before everybody could finish saying “water-scooters”, I remember some hot-shots proposed that water-scooters be banned. Fortunately that did not happen..

The best of the lot is the efforts taken by some of our so-called ulamaks to sove the problem of Muslims having very weak “aqidah” or faith.

Muslims in Malaysia must be among the weakest when it comes to “aqidah.” After all, a Parliementarian readily told the Parliament last year, if I am not mistaken, that Malaysian men cannot “tahan” to see their wife (or wives) cooking in the kitchen when they come back from work. The wife (or wives) must thus be ready to have sex with the men there and then. This was, and is still, of course readily agreed to by the Obedient Wives Club which also advocates, among others, spiritual sex. (I think the OWC took the idea of spiritual sex from the cyber sex or phone sex phenomenon).

Sorry, I digress.

Yes, Muslims in Malaysia are very weak in their “aqidah”. Solutions, anybody? Yes, ban the poco-poco dance. Ditto Valentine’s Day celebration. In Bangi, someone actually said cinemas should not be built. What else ya? Oh, yes. Electronic Bible. Ban it please. While we are it, why don’t we ban the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia as well, right? That would be a hollistic approach. Yes. Superb.

If those were not enough, we should then have a seminar titled “Strengthening the Faith, the Dangers of Liberalism and Pluralism and the Threat of Christianity towards Muslims. What is the Role of Teachers?”.

Of course, recently, we have the Erykah Badu banning. All because of some art work on her body. The most recent is Irshad Manji’s book. Over in Indonesia recently, they went gaga over a Lady Gaga concert. You all know the result, right? Yes. What else but a ban.

Looking at the trend, the enemies of Islam are not just the Israelies, the Jews, the United States and their allies. The most potent poison one could unleash against us, Mulims, is nothing but women, apparently. Send Irshad Manji and that’s it, 15 million Muslims would lose their faith soon. Send in Lady Gaga and hundreds of millions of Muslims would be out of their Islamic mind sooner than one could spell “Gaga.”

Malaysia is, however, not alone when it comes to banning things. China, which coincidentally invented paper, started banning books on philosophy which came from anywhere other than the state of Qin in the 3rd century BC. In fact, China is still leading the way in this area of socio-illogical move. Most recent is its banning of Kate Winslet’s breast in Titanic 3D movie for fear of the men reaching out to touch them in the cinema. Classic.

Books seems to be the favourite for this activity. In this regards, Islam is not the only religion in whose name books were banned. The Catholic Church had forced Peter Abelard to burn his own book, which consisted, among others, his interpretation of the Trinitarian. There was also a time when the Bible was prohibited from being translated into the vernacular. And guess what? The Catholic Church also used to have issues with Greek plays as well as Arabic and Jewish texts. Hmm…déjà vu?

In England, Henry VIII led the way. He actually did not like William Tynedale’s version of the Bible and had it, of course, banned. Not enough with that, he burned him at the stake.

Meanwhile, the “greatest nation on Earth”, aka the US of A, is not spared with this desease as well. In Masachussettes, the Quaker texts were banned. And of course, they also hanged witches at Salem. Boston saw the imprisonment of Ann Austin and Mary Fischer for texts which offended the then acting-Governor.

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Apartheid staring in the face and Art talks about Valentines . . . diverting attention from apartheid again, eh Art? What a fart. Obscurist sympathies for apartheid huffed obliquely are cowardly and meaningless.

THE Federal Constitution is not biased against the religious belief or gender of any citizen but does not say anything about one’s sexual orientation, the House heard.

“While Article 8 protects one from gender discrimination, the word ‘gender’ should not be interpreted as a person’s sexual inclination, such as being a lesbian, gay or bisexual,” Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim said.

“The protection given by the Federal Constitution is meant for men and women,” she told Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (DAP-Beruas) who said the Government should not use religion when dealing with LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender) issues and should have laws applicable to all.

Dr Mashitah said following an edict by the Fatwa Council that sex change is haram (forbidden in Islam), the National Registration Department does not allow a man who had undergone sex change to be described as a woman.

She added that the person is also not allowed to make changes to his name in his identity card.

“The Fatwa Council, which had discussed the issue, had said any surgery undergone by a person to change his or her sex is against the religion.

“Only those born with two sex organs can undergo an operation (in favour of either gender).

Therefore, the NRD will have to adhere to the decision made by the council,” Dr Mashitah said in reply to Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee (BN-Setiu).

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Oh yes there is bias. Try a UN Human Rights angle and Malaysia gets thrown out of the Human Rights Council

“The Fatwa Council, which had discussed the issue, had said any surgery undergone by a person to change his or her sex is against the religion.

However what about non-Muslim Malays AND Muslims Malays who have gone apostate? What is the NRD’s view on these persons who might want to be registered as a 3rd gender as per their given Human Rights? See below link for unresolved LGBT issues :

I am an anarchist and proud of it – NO HOLDS BARRED – Thursday, 21 June 2012 Super Admin – Raja Petra Kamarudin

Do you know what people like me are called? They would call me an anarchist. Anarchists are opposed to all forms of government. Anarchists are against all forms of domination and control. All governments are bad. All forms of domination and control are bad. So I am an anarchist and proud of it.

‘You miss the point, RPK’.

‘Don’t turn this into a racial issue, RPK’.

‘You need to look at the big picture, RPK’.

‘We need to focus, RPK’.

‘We first need to change the government, RPK’.

‘The corruption in BN is much worse, RPK’.

‘BN is racist, RPK’.

‘What choice do we have? We have been oppressed for more than 50 years, RPK’.

‘We are not against the Malays, just against the Umno Malays, RPK’.

‘What do you expect? The Chinese have faced discrimination for more than 50 years, RPK’.

‘Compare things with the Chinese-run Singapore or Penang and you can see the big difference, RPK’.

‘When we had a Chinese Finance Minister like Tan Siew Sin things were much better, RPK’.

‘The Chinese got rich through hard work, RPK’.

‘The Malays want a shortcut to wealth, RPK’.

‘Criticising the opposition is helping Barisan Nasional to stay in power, RPK’.

‘You are confusing the voters, RPK’.

‘We should talk about all this only after Pakatan Rakyat takes over, RPK’.

‘After Pakatan Rakyat takes over we can clean out the rot in Pakatan Rakyat, RPK’.

‘If you do not support Pakatan then you must be a Barisan stooge, RPK’.

That and much more are the arguments that many readers normally put forward to justify and defend their stand. This is called ‘working backwards’. You take a stand and then you defend that belief with an argument. Religionists use this same method and considering that 80% or so of the world believes in a religion means that this method is very effective.

How do you prove that God exists? God exists because we are here. The fact that we are here means some higher power must have created us. Hence that higher power has to be God. So, since we exist, then God must also exist. If God did not exist then we would not be here.

Does this make sense? It certainly does to those who believe in a religion.

So and so is our Prophet sent down by God. And our Prophet told us that he is the true Prophet and that his religion is the true religion. How do you know this? The Holy Book says so. Where did this Holy Book come from? It came from our Prophet and was written by the followers of our Prophet more than 100 years after he died.

Does this make sense? It certainly does to those who believe in a religion.

So you see, any argument is a good argument if you already believe in something. Your belief is intact. It does not waver. It is only that you need to justify and defend this belief. So the argument is not to help you believe. You already believe. The argument is to explain and justify your belief and make it sound sensible and credible.

You already believe in your religion. You already believe in your Prophet. You already believe that there is a God. Your arguments are to make sense of a belief that would not normally make sense unless you can argue your belief. In that same spirit, you already have a political belief. And to make sense of this political belief you also need to put forward various arguments to defend this belief.

This is called arguing in circles. Arguing in circles would be as follows. My religion is correct because my Prophet says so. My Prophet is correct because the Holy Book says so. The Holy Book is correct because it came from God through my Prophet.

Okay, let’s stop arguing in circles. Today I am going to be blunt and brutal. Today I am going to call a spade a spade. And if you don’t like that then you had better stop reading at this point and go to another Blog or website. Malaysia Today is not for the faint-hearted. Malaysia Today is not for those who like to read nice things and things that dovetail with their belief system. Malaysia Today is not for those who live in denial syndrome. Malaysia Today is no holds barred.

Politicians need businessmen to finance them. Businessmen need politicians to make money. This is so in America, in Japan, in Malaysia, and in most places in the world.

In Malaysia, however, business is the domain of the Chinese while politics is the domain of the Malays. There are, of course, Chinese politicians as there are Malay businessmen. But the Chinese politicians need to kowtow to the Malay politicians just like the Malay businessmen need to ‘Ali Baba’ with the Chinese businessmen.

Hence we need to see ‘unholy alliances’ between the Malays and Chinese. The Chinese have to help the Malays get into power and the Malays need to help the Chinese get business deals. The Chinese need to use their money to help the Malays get into power and the Malays need use their political power to help the Chinese get business deals.

Money is the route to political power and political power is the route to making money. They both need each other. One can’t live without the other. This is so in America, in Japan, in Malaysia, and in most places in the world.

So it does not matter whether it is Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, just like it does not matter whether it is Islam or Christianity. Both Islam and Christianity apply the same ‘logic’ of arguing in circles. And both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat need the same politics-business alliance formula to make it. Business fuels political power and political power fuels business. Whether in the United States, Japan or Malaysia, it is all the same.

So, yes, we do want to see a two-party system in Malaysia. So, yes, we do want to see a ruling party without hegemony in Parliament and a strong opposition that can keep the ruling party in check. But we need a third force. We need an ‘auditor’. We need a ‘police’ system. And this role must be played by us, the people, the rakyat, the voters.

What is religion? Religion is a system of domination and control. Now, please, I repeat, please do not discuss this in the context of theology. Let us discuss it in the context of history. Theology does not make sense. History does. So I do not want to discuss theology but history.

What was Jesus Christ’s mission? Did Jesus introduce a new religion? Did Jesus tell his disciples, “God sent me to you so that I can introduce a new religion to humankind called Christianity”?

Jesus Christ’s mission was to break down the system of priests and temples, the religious hierarchy, which was a political system. Jesus wanted to end the domination and control that the system had over the people. The religious system was created to control the people. And Jesus wanted to end this control and give power back to the people. Before that power was in the hands of the system.

Hence Jesus Christ was merely a leader of a reform movement, a political movement of that time. And that was why they turned on him. Jesus was a threat to the political system of priests and temples.

Then, 325 years later, the system took back this power and what by then was identified as Christianity again dominated and controlled the people through the creation of a doctrine. And those who resisted were put to death so that eventually only those who embraced the doctrine remained.

Islam went through this same process 425 years later in 750. First the Umayyads grabbed power in 661, 29 years after the death of Muhammad. Then, the Abbasids ousted the Umayyads and grabbed power. Hence Islam went through the same process that Christianity went through 425 years earlier. And to justify things, doctrines (such as Hadiths) were created and those who resisted were killed off, just like what happened in Christendom earlier.

In the end it was all about political power and control over the people. But in those days it was political power through religious doctrine. That was what motivated Emperor Constantine in 325 and also what motivated the Umayyads in 661 and the Abbasids in 750 — political power.

So, how different is it today? Today we have Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat. In those days we had the Umayyads and Abbasids and, earlier, the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. The Abbasids created doctrines to justify the ousting of the Umayyads and the Eastern Roman Empire created doctrines to justify the ousting of the Western Roman Empire.

And is not Pakatan Rakyat also creating ‘doctrines’ to justify the ousting of Barisan Nasional?

Ultimately, it was all about control and political power. It still is. So we must make sure that neither Barisan Nasional nor Pakatan Rakyat controls us. Instead, we must control them. And to do that we must reject their doctrine. We need to decide that doctrine.

And that is why politicians are scared of people who are independent-minded, just like religionists are. If we are independent-minded they cannot control us. And politics, just like religion, is about control and power. In fact, religion is power, power over the minds of the people. And is not politics the same?

So, let us look at your arguments again.

‘You miss the point, RPK’.

‘Don’t turn this into a racial issue, RPK’.

‘You need to look at the big picture, RPK’.

‘We need to focus, RPK’.

‘We first need to change the government, RPK’.

‘The corruption in BN is much worse, RPK’.

‘BN is racist, RPK’.

‘What choice do we have? We have been oppressed for more than 50 years, RPK’.

‘We are not against the Malays, just against the Umno Malays, RPK’.

‘What do you expect? The Chinese have faced discrimination for more than 50 years, RPK’.

‘Compare things with the Chinese-run Singapore or Penang and you can see the big difference, RPK’.

‘When we had a Chinese Finance Minister like Tan Siew Sin things were much better, RPK’.

‘The Chinese got rich through hard work, RPK’.

‘The Malays want a shortcut to wealth, RPK’.

‘Criticising the opposition is helping Barisan Nasional to stay in power, RPK’.

‘You are confusing the voters, RPK’.

‘We should talk about all this only after Pakatan Rakyat takes over, RPK’.

‘After Pakatan Rakyat takes over we can clean out the rot in Pakatan Rakyat, RPK’.

‘If you do not support Pakatan then you must be a Barisan stooge, RPK’.

What point is that that I have missed? What big picture? Focus on what?

What choice do you have? You have a choice, a choice to determine your own destiny.

You faced oppression and discrimination for 50 years? Who voted for the same party for 50 years?

No lah, stop justifying and raising lame excuses. You are a victim of your own creation. Nobody did anything to you. You did all this to yourself. For thousands of years, people have allowed themselves to be manipulated, controlled, dominated, oppressed, suppressed, etc. They even created religion and doctrines to legitimise it. And then they scream blue murder.

I can’t see the big picture? Yes, I can. The big picture is very clear to me. It is about not giving anyone power. It is about taking back power. It is about power must be in the hands of the people.

Do you know what people like me are called? They would call me an anarchist. Anarchists are opposed to all forms of government. Anarchists are against all forms of domination and control. All governments are bad. All forms of domination and control are bad. So I am an anarchist and proud of it.

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An anarchist does not say that the OBVIOUSLY APARTHEID AND STRUCTURED (Anarchists do not abide by any structure and apartheid is structured around inequality . . . ) ‘Merdeka Social Contract’ is to be retained. RPK is a FALSE Anarchist who supports apartheid. A crypto-racist par excellence and who knows a self-hating half blood prince. Some of us can live with a REASONABLE amount of laws. Why does RPK subvert the stability and sense of proportion of any would be leaders in the making by lobbing this ‘anarchist’ NLP? Law abiding citizens can also be against all forms of domination and control.

Who needs to be an anarchist? Chipping away from awareness of the hegelian dialectic again I see? Or just parasiting of 99%ter problems to ‘look cool’? Well don’t. Very base and subversive method of destroying the awareness of political opponents of hegelian dialectic, or disrupting the sense of proportion and political bearings of newbie champions from the masses here (so that they cannot navigate the minefield that is Malaysian politics?). Not that RPK is in any viable position to be in politics than some of us are so severely persecuted. Get back to Malaysia RPK, and run for candidacy!

KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng appeared to justify today his administration’s decision to ban Umno-controlled newspapers instead of suing them for defamation, saying they continue to publish false reports without giving him the right of reply.

Lim (picture) was speaking to reporters in George Town just after the High Court there found Utusan Malaysia guilty of defaming him for the second time in six months, a decision he called “a victory for press freedom”.

“We welcome all newspapers including those controlled by Barisan Nasional (BN) on condition they report truthfully and give me the right of reply. But the New Straits Times and Utusan refuse me the right of reply.

“There might be upcoming suits but there are false reports by Utusan every day. I cannot sue them every day, only major cases,” the DAP secretary-general said.

A copy of the audio recording was made available to The Malaysian Insider.

Lim has previously defended Penang’s decision to ban Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, accusing it of being a party organ rather than a newspaper.

This came after reporters protested against the ban on May 3, which is World Press Freedom Day, and the Centre for Independent Journalism said a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government could not guarantee media freedom.

But the Bagan MP said he could not sue the Malay daily “every day” for its “false reports”, so he was left with no option but to bar its reporters from covering any proceedings in Penang in an act of “self-defence.”

The Penang legislative assembly adopted a motion in May 2011 barring the newspaper following unverified reports on the renovation costs of Lim’s rented residence, and an alleged plot by the DAP and the church to turn Malaysia into a Christian state.

The Penang High Court today found Utusan Malaysia guilty of defaming Lim and ordered the Umno daily to pay him RM200,000 in damages and RM250,000 in costs.

The Penang CM had claimed a March 12, 2008 article headlined “Tiada Lagi DEB (No More NEP)” in the Malay-language newspaper which said he would abolish the New Economic Policy was inaccurate.

He added he had merely said his administration would be free from the “cronyism, corruption and systematic inefficiency” stemming from the policy.

The ruling follows the December 2011 judgment by the Penang High Court that an Utusan article titled “Kebiadapan Guan Eng” had “maliciously defamed Lim, and made him and the DAP look as if they are anti-Malay and anti-Islam.”

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There is only censorship or freedom of speech. There is no justification for selective persecution that has occurred here against the media. Hating UMNO’s racism is one thing but Guan Eng and hence DAP (which should have DAP members dissociating with Guan Eng’s tyrannical decision to show they are better) is no better than UMNO for trying to justify away the right to free speech. We don’t need CMs like that (especially term unlimited and quorumless installed by their parents) as much as we don’t need UMNO’s racists.

In trying to downplay the “pendatang” (immigrants) slur oft made against non-Malay Malaysians, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is admitting to two things:

Firstly, the failure of his 1Malaysia Policy which he announced when he became Prime Minister 39 months ago with the objective to create a Malaysia where every Malaysian regard himself or herself as Malaysian first and race, religion, region and socio-economic status second;

Secondly, his inability and impotence to do anything to counter and wipe out this divisive and insidious mindset which perpetuates a false, mischievous and anti-national division of Malaysians, which is particularly ludicrous when the first-generation local born of one community could call on a fourth, fifth or sixth-generation local born of another community to “balik China” or “balik India”!

In his dialogue with Chinese youths at University Malaya yesterday, Najib urged the Chinese community not to be offended by people who call them pendatang (immigrants) because such remarks are made by a handful of “lunatics” with “loose screws”.

He said those who utter such remarks intentionally say so to hurt the feelings of the Chinese community and that his administration does not share such views.

He said: “I hope we are not too hurt by one or two comments. In every community, there are always one or two individuals whose heads are not quite right.”

Is it true only one or two loose screws?

Najib’s answer would be most assuring if it is true that it is only “one or two lunatics” with “loose screws” who made such offensive, insidious and anti-national remarks.

However, this is not the case.

In actual fact, the “pendatang” slur is most potent proof of the failure of Malaysian nation-building in the past five decades as well Najib’s 1Malaysia policy, as it is not confined to “one or two lunatics” but infected the highest levels of politics and government because of decades of Biro Tata Negara (BTN) indoctrination of civil servants and public officers.

Najib’s own special officer to the Prime Minister, Datuk Nasir Safar for instance had labeled Indians and Chinese as “pendatang” and added insult to injury in declaring that “Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese especially women came to sell their bodies”.

Two years ago, at the launch of the Merdeka celebrations of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Kulai, the school principal Hajah Siti Inshah binti Monsar said:

Malaysians of course still remember the incident in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election in August 2008 where an UMNO division chief referred to the Malaysian Chinese as pendatang orang tumpang and totally untrustworthy Malaysians.

The “pendatang” slur is not the result of “loose screws” of “one or two lunatics” but the result of decades of the poison of anti-national indoctrination by state agencies like the BTN perpetuating Malaysians into two classes of people.

Will Najib do anything concrete

What has the Najib administration done under its 1Malaysia policy to develop an official policy backed up by a national consensus that only “lunatics” with “screws loose” would make the “pendatang” slur, and classifying it as a divisive, treacherous and anti-national point of view which must be condemned by all patriotic and rational Malaysians?

Malaysia will be celebrating our 55th National Day on August 31.

Is Najib prepared to send out a clear and unmistakable message that in line with his 1Malaysia policy, those who continue to regard the Chinese and Indians as “kaum pendatang” are lunatic, positively anti-national who must be condemned by all rational and patriotic Malaysians in unequivocal terms and who should have no place in Malaysian politics or public service?

Lim Kit Siang is the DAP MP for Ipoh Timur

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Writing laws that remove politicians that do not keep campaign promises will be a good start, Mr. Unable-to-Keep-Campaign-Promises and ‘places’ own children in CM’s posts without votes or quorums will be concerete. Removal of term limitless politicians from Dewan will also be concrete. Well Najib, time to give LKS the concrete LKS is asking for. Najib in these statements appears to be targetting the racist lot, good show Najib but for the lack of concrete . . .

;should out the Opposition quite nicely and laws against limitless term MPs should shut LKS and ‘Family Bloc’ DAP, up once and for all. Legislate the above now Najib, for certain that 2nd term will be yours and we will be rid of nepotists on all sides (especially the quorumless CM types placed in power by their fathers), and being such a good guy to protect the Rakyat with teh above from term limitless creeps, could even be a good buffer against that Altantunya case . . .

Is Najib prepared to counter ‘Nepotist’ and ‘Limitless Term’ Mindset FIRST? (Start with DAP’s cliques and dynasties, would be very good for the Rakyat to be aware, of course after that second term as PM – if even possible – end nepotism WITHIN BN also, but do start with Pakatan, or 3rd Force will have to lead the way . . . )

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Fatigue and the constant threat of being under the gun from special interest groups, businessmen, unions and warlords are making the prospect of a longer wait for polls unpalatable for Barisan Nasional (BN) ministers and leaders.

Sources told The Malaysian Insider that the consensus among ministers and BN leaders is that they want the polls sooner rather than at the end of the year. The reason: voters know that the polls are going to be a tough one for Umno/BN, so ministers are under pressure to give out contracts, licences, approved permits (APs) and other concessions.

If the ministers don’t appear keen on meeting requests from party warlords and special interest groups, the sources say the ministers are told not so subtly that they could lose votes to Pakatan Rakyat (PR), which is gunning to capture Putrajaya in the next elections after its success in Election 2008.

“Sooner is better than later for the next elections. BN leaders cleared June and July for polls but now it seems it will be after the Budget, putting more pressure on them,” a source told The Malaysian Insider.

The budget will be tabled on September 28. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (picture) has not indicated when the polls will be held but said it could be called during the pilgrimage season around the haj on October 26.

BN ministers and leaders feel that if elections are called soon, the ruling federal coalition will win, not with two-thirds majority but better than Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s government in 2008.

Waiting till the later part of year is fraught with own risks of a slowing economy and the possibility of more infighting for seats and position, apart from more “threats and demands” from power brokers and unions, said another source.

He said that what was clear is that no one in BN, not the ministers or strategists, believes that the polls will be a walkover although Najib has said the coalition can get back its two-thirds majority and win in all 13 states and the Kuala Lumpur federal territory.

BN lost four states — Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor and failed to win Kelantan in 2008. It got back Perak in February 2009 after several PR lawmakers quit their pact, giving BN the majority.

The Malaysian Insider has learnt that the BN leaders privately agree it is tricky to get urban seats especially in the west coast of the Malay peninsula. The blunder over using what is seen as excessive force during the Bersih rallies in the past year has also reduced support for BN.

There is also concern over the fight to be the mentri besar in Johor, Kedah and Perlis. Umno is hoping to win back Kedah with deputy minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir as the top choice for the post although he doesn’t hold a state party post while Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman has been in office since 1995.

“Many are jostling for the MB posts and that is a headache for Najib,” said a source, adding an initial list of MBs has already been prepared.

An election must be called by next April 28, otherwise Parliament will be automatically dissolved and a general election held within 60 days.

Those familiar with Najib’s thinking say he is cautious and meticulous about ensuring an emphatic victory so as not to share Abdullah’s fate of losing his office despite getting a simple majority in 2008.

Many have blamed Abdullah for the shock loss, especially the influential Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and Najib has been working hard to revive and regain support for the country’s only ruling coalition since Merdeka, when it had been called the Alliance.

“Najib has said an election is war and one has to be prepared for war. That [the election is] not being called shows they are not as prepared as he wants them to be,” a BN strategist had told The Malaysian Insider.

The strategist pointed out that while Najib remains popular with the public, receiving a 65 per cent approval rating in the last Merdeka Center poll, the government is not as popular — securing only a 48 per cent approval in a survey done after the Bersih rally on April 28. The results for Najib’s Umno were not revealed but are said to be even lower.

A BN leader recalled that even when Dr Mahathir grew unpopular for sacking Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998, Umno and BN were well-accepted enough to carry the vote and form the federal government with a two-third majority, although the ruling coalition lost Terengganu.

He also pointed out that Abdullah had a 71 per cent approval rating going into Election 2008 but still lost the supermajority and four states.

Some 12 million are eligible to vote if elections are called this year, up from the nine million in 2008. According to Election Commission (EC) statistics, around 40 per cent of these are young voters.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

So-called ‘leaders’ are mere citizens who should GTFO of Dewan after 2 terms whatever political group they are working from. The nepotistic and term limitless, also racist MPs and assemblymen are not viable candidates. Businessmen should see fit to take down their bloated citizens posing as leaders, kick these ‘leaders’ out of the system and who knows, even create a more ethical environment instead of benefit crony capitalism which has destroyed and indebted the West.

‘He also pointed out that Abdullah had a 71 per cent approval rating going into Election 2008 but still lost the supermajority and four states.’

This is because of political capitalist nepotism that Abdullah ignored and grew into after gaining power, and also Khairy’s lack of political savvy and arrogance, also greed. Family blocs tend to cause this sort of effect. 3rd world politics should be done away with.

ARTICLE 9

Tunku’s son joins think-tank to revive dad’s vision – June 25, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — The son of Malaysia’s first prime minister has joined the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) as its special adviser, boosting the local think-tank’s bid to revive Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj’s vision for the country.

“Tunku Nerang (picture) and his wife Datin Seri Liliana have been long-standing supporters of IDEAS’s commitment to revive the vision of Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra,” the think-tank’s president, Tunku Zain Al-’Abidin Tuanku Muhriz, said in a statement today.

“To have the son of Bapa Kemerdekaan join us as a Special Adviser will give us even more impetus and inspiration to further discover, research and share the forgotten legacy of the Almarhum Tunku and his colleagues,” the Negri Sembilan prince added.

IDEAS was founded two years ago by Tunku Zain and two others, to promote market-based solutions to public policy challenges. It was ranked the world’s 18th best new think-tank by the University of Pennsylvania and the United Nations University in a joint 2010 Global Go-To Think Tank Report.

The trio were inspired by Tunku Abdul Rahman’s proclamation of independence in 1957 for Malaysia to “be forever a sovereign democratic and independent State founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among all nations”.

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Takes more than looking like someone to make a difference. And Malaysia is full of limelight loving copycats and liars . . . Tunku’s relation to Abdul Rahman actually ‘normalizes’ nepotism though ever so obliquely, but ESPECIALLY so when the common voter’s lack of understanding of the dangers of nepotism is an issue and rampant in government causing great harm against democracy, should IDEAS set a good example. IDEAS seems to be treading a fine ethical line here, that IDEAS doubtlesss will be too lazy or ‘bodek’ to want to address. Lets hope Tunku Zain Al-’Abidin Tuanku Muhriz could start by giving views on :

Issues-wise, IDEAS has floundered and tiptoed about clearly speaking about the ‘Merdeka Social Contract’s’ failure via the Reid Commission, and acknowledgment that Bumiputra Special Privileges are indeed a form of apartheid. One wonders if Tunku’s presence here means a change for better in propagating truth of Malaysia’s fundamentally flawed state (due to Bumiputr Apartheid and Malay Reserve Land) or just another limelighter who will make no changes but bask in the ethos an NGO like IDEAS provides.

The trio were inspired by Tunku Abdul Rahman’s proclamation of independence in 1957 for Malaysia to “be forever a sovereign democratic and independent State founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among all nations”. But without acknowledgement of the above facts and 3 items, IDEAS is just another lame outfit filled with possible beneficiaries of Bumiputra Apartheid who are likely cryptoracists at heart. Address the above 3 issues honestly . . . end the apartheid . . .

Private NGOs are not publicly accountable on their stand on nepotism, so there can be no case for criticism except on the moral and ethical angle – but not legalistic (yet).

The PM today called the leasing of taxis “a form of modern-day slavery” that he abhors. — file pic
BUKIT JALIL, June 24 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak moved today to woo the country’s 70,000-strong contingent of taxi drivers by pledging to phase out the current practice of awarding taxi licences to companies.

The prime minister promised a “new model” for all taxi drivers, saying the government will award individual licences to them instead.

“In one or two years’ time, we are moving to introduce a new taxi model (system). We are in the midst of framing it.

“I don’t like it when I hear that companies get too many taxi licences. The era where we give taxi licences to individual companies will end,” Najib said today, to cheers from a 10,000-strong audience mainly comprising of taxi drivers.

“We will provide individuals with a new system. The interests of the individual taxi driver will be taken care of as best as possible.

“The leasing of taxis is a form of modern-day slavery which I do not like,” the Barisan Nasional (BN) chief stressed.

Plans to revamp the licensing system of taxis will be included in the government’s new programme titled TR1MA (Teksi Rakyat 1Malaysia) — a collaborative effort between the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD), the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture as well as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Najib said 1MDB has pledged to allocate RM35 million a year to subsidise the purchase cost of car tyres for all taxi drivers.

“Each taxi driver will receive a subsidy voucher for tyres totalling RM520 per year…whereby every taxi driver will get one set of free tyres every year at predetermined outlets.

“They can be obtained from about 300 tyre service centres nationwide,” the PM added.

Besides that, he said the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry will provide a RM1 million insurance fund for all taxi drivers throughout Malaysia.

“Taxi drivers have to be satisfied, their welfare needs to be looked after,” Najib stressed.

He pointed out that taxi drivers played a major role in shaping the opinions of tourists who came to Malaysia.

“They are an important group in forming the image and perception tourists have of the government and country.

“We gather here to express our gratitude to a group within society who have a big role,” Najib said.

The Umno president urged taxi drivers to help the government shape a good reputation for the country.

“If a tourist gets in a taxi and see a nice smile on the driver instead of an angry face, then they will assume that all Malaysians are like that,” he said.

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A taxi driver with a private licence AND freedom from apartheid will be twice as smiley. This is also btw a 1960s socialist change in laws that China could probably have already implemented WITHOUT retaining apartheid. But thats good to hear, great for the taxi drivers. And yet taxi drivers should know apartheid has no place, private licence or not. Don’t mistake the trees for a forest . . .

ARTICLE 11

4,430 top students need not repay PTPTN loans – June 23, 2012

JOHOR BARU, June 23 — Those who scored first-class honours in their bachelor’s degree before 2010 need not repay their Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan.

This follows the government agreeing to widen the policy to convert the loans to scholarships.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (picture) said the move to convert loans to scholarships for students who scored outstanding results was decided on June 15.

He said 4,430 students, comprising from both private and public universities, who obtained excellent results had their PTPTN loans converted to scholarships since July 1, 2005. This involved a total amount of RM116.2 million.

“These students are required to submit their official offer letters to PTPTN, together with a copy of their certified first-class degrees, examination results, student declaration and accreditation certificate from the Malaysian Qualifications Agency,” he added.

Mohamed Khaled was speaking to reporters after launching the National Education Savings Scheme and handing over cash advance loans to 255 students in the Pasir Gudang constituency here today.

The Pasir Gudang MP said the decision to extend the convertible policy was made to acknowledge outstanding students, besides encouraging others to obtain excellent results. — Bernama

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30-100K times 4 thousand+ students loans stolen from the taxpayers courtesy of the BN government! Fail! How unprofessional can BN get? Debts MUST be returned, this is NOT BN’s money, this is the TAXPAYER’S MONEY. That money is not to go to people who cannot keep their word about returning debts! 1-4+ billion loss for 4K+ unethical people who should be marked as criminals instead of being let loose in society with bad ethics! Even if they take 20 years to return, no problem. But to write off is the laziest and most mediocre option possible. BN wants votes and BN will throw away tax payer monies without a care for people who did honestly return PTPTN loans or pay their taxes on time. Could the Bar Council or the Judiciary challenge this decision? Ridiculous and offensive BN government, even as PR is nepotistic and clique centred as well as term limitless. GTFO of Dewan, terrible and worse than jaguh kampung or whatever tempurung mindset! Too unprofessional and unstatesmanlike. Answer to the Rakyat!

There is proof: Ching answering a question during the press conference. Also present was Selangor BN coordinator Datuk Seri Ir Mohd Zin Mohamed.

(The Star) – A DAP councillor from the Petaling Jaya City Council has been accused for allegedly diverting a legal job to a law firm belonging to Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng after it was initially given to another legal firm via a tender process.

Klang MCA Youth Chief Ching Eu Boon who showed documents as proof of his claim, said the contract which involved litigation work for a debt case was initially given to Messrs Daim and Gamany for RM15,000 via tender on Mar 26, 2011.

In June 16, last year the MBPJ legislative sub-committee met and decided to offer the job to Lim’s law firm which goes under the name of Messrs Stella, Lim and Co, which charged a fee of RM55,000.

“It is believed that MBPJ councillor and DAP party member Tiew Way Keng, who chaired the meeting had misused her powers by awarding the job to Lim’s law firm despite quoting a fee three times higher than the initial fee of RM15,000,” he told a news conference in Shah Alam.

Although the sub-committee consists of 17 members, Ching named Tiew, Chan Chee Kong and Derek Fernandez as the only three councillors who attended the meeting.

“According to MBPJ Audit Department’s records, Fernandez was quoted as leaving the meeting early due to personal matters while Chan claimed ignorance on the appointment of a law firm that was linked to Lim, a DAP party member.

“How could the decision to award a contract be decided by only two members?” Ching asked.

He alleged that the incident only reflected that DAP practises dirty politics while its councillors were only interested in obtaining contracts for the sole purpose of making money for themselves.

He added that the details he received on the case was given to him by sources from DAP.

“Many DAP members are unhappy with their leadership. They (DAP members) tell me that their leaders say one thing and do another,” Ching claimed.

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Just like the ‘bait and switch’ method used against the voters, saying that MPs will declare assets BEFORE elections, THEN only having EXCO (appoionted intead of elected at quorum to boot – another campaign lie) declare assets instead of MPs. Can any citizen vote for people who lie within lies in this manner? Nepotism and culture of entitlement based on oligarchy and limitless terms typified DAP’s undemocratic culture. Vote for 3rd Force instead, and not BN still, as BN is racist, while PR is corrupted and a liar filled with undemocratic practices.

ARTICLE 13

Should we continue paying taxes? — Lucius Goon – June 30, 2012

JUNE 30 — My wife and I pay our taxes on time and we are assessed at the highest tax bracket. We never avoided or evaded taxes and viewed it as a moral duty.

But let me put in a caveat. I believe the time has come for us taxpayers (and this excludes 90 per cent of civil servants, Umno politicians and their nominees as well as rent-seekers) to consider a campaign of civil disobedience against paying taxes until the government of the day can show that it can utilise this revenue in a responsible way.

I am not talking about the world record holidays/trips abroad taken by the prime minister and the first family or his cabinet ministers. I am referring to the over-the-top spending by the Barisan Nasional government to stay in power.

It seems like every day is Christmas for this prime minister. Tyres for taxi drivers, cash for Malaysians, a few million for this group and another few million for that group.

And then there is the never-ending slush money for BN MPs, the latest being RM1.5 million for every one of those jokers in Parliament. Yes, you and I are sponsoring Mohamed Aziz of Sri Gading.

If that were not enough, we have an MRT project that seems to get more expensive by the day and which is being parcelled out to the rich and connected.

Oh, I forgot, we have an LRT that also gets more expensive by the day and which is being parcelled out to the rich, unqualified and connected.

And then are the billions being spent on infrastructure projects that the country does not need, just so that Najib can make some powerful Umno politician happy.

Basically, my wife and I are working like crazy to pay taxes, which are then used by a corrupt, racist and morally-bankrupt regime to stay in power. Not only that, our hard-earned money is being lavished on people who are allergic to work: Umno politicians and cybertroopers.

I am interested to hear from right-minded Malaysians on whether the time is right for a campaign to stop paying taxes until we can put in place a government that understands it is a steward of our money.

At present, the people in Putrajaya are behaving like feudal lords, “taxing their subjects and spending as they see fit.”

* Lucius Goon reads The Malaysian Insider.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

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Ask the MPs to find out which of them intend to lower taxes to decide who is votable. Then ask about changing election deposits too. The system as is disallows the poorest in society from joining politics. This is undemocratric and low minded wealth and greed oriented of the government. Anyone should not be prevented for running for candidacy simply because they are too poor. I propose that a flat 1 month’s salary or 1% of total liquid asset of any person be imposed on any and all people who want to run for election – then also impose 2 term limits.

The Penang police did not act fast enough when the chief minister was harassed yesterday. Lim wonders if the same would have happpened if the prime minister had been harassed.

(FMT) – Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has taken the Penang police to task for failing to provide adequate protection for him and not taking stern action against the Perkasa member who harassed him in Teluk Bahang yesterday.

Lim was brushed hard over his shoulder area by a Perkasa member yesterday while he was in the wet market complex for a ‘meet-the-people’ session.

The young man who harassed Lim had to be pushed away by some local village security and development committee (JKKK) members before Lim could be escorted to his car. Lim was uninjured but expressed shock over the incident

Earlier in the day, some 10 Perkasa members had gathered at the market to protest against Lim. They had also thrown posters at Lim just as he arrived at the market.

Lim said today that although the police were informed of the event and were present, they failed to take any quick action when the incident had occurred.

“Dragging the Perkasa member away from threatening my safety should have been the duty and responsibility of the police, not Pakatan Rakyat local leaders.

“The failure of the police to offer adequate protection was followed by the failure of the police to immediately arrest the Perkasa member involved.

“Just imagine how harsh police reaction would have been if this had involved the prime minister and not the Pakatan chief minister,” he said today.

He added that the lack of action against Malay right wing group Perkasa will only serve to embolden the group. The police, he said, should have immediately arrested the young man.

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Thats what happens when enemies are emboldened by clique and nepotism based party MISRULE and false election promises. They lost respect for LGE who could not even hold a single unbiased Local Council Election or seperate family from faith from state work from democracy. LGE and the Lim family bloc are a blight on DAP that emboldens this sort of behaviour. TERM limitless, excluding and parrots and self serving copycats. Would be allies of DAP are inclined to beome enemies, existing enemies of DAP are inclined to reseort to increasingly vicious treatment of DAP. ‘Great’ b.s. leadership DAP! The police should slam Lim instead! Drag off the old sod to court and prison for LIMITLESS TERMS and NEPOTISM!

Guess how much these days? Don’t even think about the 3rd world, there are 5 star restaurants where meals are cheaper . . . PRICE CONTROLS please. Or is there a F&B grouping ready to take up the challenge of reviving the $0.99 standard and sweeping aside any fast food chains not 99% worthy?

Reminds you of the TSA or prison system in the USA (see below article)? Does that come with a Green Card? Nope can’t migrate to USA unless worth 100s of 1000s . . .

TSA could be like this when they drop the human factor . . .

All thats missing here in this clip is an automatic crotch grabber. First MJ grabbed his own in 1984, then the TSA grabbed everyone else’s who used airports in 2002, in the future under this sort of automated setting there will be robots grabbing crotches in place of human TSA personnel in 2100, if the American voters don’t vote the right Congressmen (Rand Paul’s January 2012 brush with the TSA just a flase flag? Heard no follow up after the effective cop-out at Nashville Airport . . . and TSA is still around . . . ), Governors and President . . .

(AP) KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul warned the U.S. is “slipping into a fascist system” dominated by government and businesses as he held a fiery rally Saturday night upstaging established Republican Party banquets a short distance away.

The Texas congressman drew a couple thousand standing and chanting people to Kansas City’s Union Station as the party’s establishment dined on steak across the street at the Missouri GOP’s annual conference. Kansas Republicans were holding a similar convention in a suburb across the state line.

Paul staged his rally near the nation’s World War I museum, asserting that the U.S. got off track about 100 years ago during the era of President Woodrow Wilson, who led the nation through World War I and unsuccessfully advocated for the nation’s involvement in a forerunner of the United Nations.

“We’ve slipped away from a true Republic,” Paul said. “Now we’re slipping into a fascist system where it’s a combination of government and big business and authoritarian rule and the suppression of the individual rights of each and every American citizen.”

Although campaign aides were aware, Paul told reporters after his speech that he did not know his rally was coinciding with long-established Missouri and Kansas Republican Party events, where Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell — a vice presidential prospect — was the keynote speaker.

Several Republicans slipped away from the banquets to join the Paul rally. Among them was Ralph Munyan, a Republican committeeman in Kansas City’s home county, who said he agreed with Paul’s warnings of a “fascist system” and his pledge to the end nation’s involvement in wars overseas and against drugs.

“His foreign policy is one of peace,” Munyan said.

Paul repeatedly denounced President Barack Obama’s recent enactment of a law requiring military custody of anyone suspected to be associated with al Qaeda and involved in planning an attack on the U.S. Obama said when he signed the legislation that his administration would not authorize the indefinite military detention of American citizens without a trial.

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Guess Ron’s not a Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho fan? This may not throw Obama’s re-election but if so many 99%ters ‘CAN’T haz (a 0.99 cent) chezburger’, much less a roof over their heads, irritated and irradiated at every turn by the TSA at airportsm highways etc., Obama will not find this an easy election because with one of those Executive Order Edicts any of the above issues could be instantaneously resolved, with such a mandate but no action? . . . if an obviously American person born in America needs to go through the b.s. TSA dishes, the first person to be blamed will be the one man with the mandate to stop the b.s. : Dwayne. I mean Obama! There must be a safe list of Americans the TSA can let through without this sort of abuse right?

Debunking the inconsistencies of fast food AND a call to arms for F&B via quasi-facetious spoofing of BK’s pricing . . .

Now everyone can haz chezburger - 0.99 cent foods for the 99%!

Mini-Article 1.5

A sample of rural area drink prices in Malaysia (most areas in the cities are just the same as USA, horrendously expensive :

Meals for less than RM2 – By FARIK ZOLKEPLI farik@thestar.com.my – Sunday February 26, 2012

KUALA TERENGGANU: At Kedai Kopi Cik Nah, there is no fuss about rising costs of sugar, cooking oil or other essential stuff needed to run a coffeeshop.
Most of the food and drinks here sell at below RM2 and one could get a hot glass of teh tarik or Nescafe for less than RM1.
Those looking for nasi lemak can get a regular bungkus for 60 sen or a larger pack for RM1.
Serving up hot cakes: Norhalani preparing roti canai for her customers at her stall located at Kampung Losong Atap Zin near Taman Tamadun Islam in Kuala Terengganu.

There is also nasi dagang (Beef Rice) and nasi minyak (Butter Rice), which are sold at RM1.20 and RM1.60 respectively. The same items could cost twice as much at other restaurants, especially those in the city centre.

“I don’t understand how the rising cost of sugar or cooking oil had forced many restaurants to drastically increase their prices.

“We have not raised ours, except 10 sen or 20 sen for a cup of hot Milo,” said Norhalani Yusof, 33, who has taken over the running of the shop from her mother Sinnah Sulaiman.
Customers looking for a decent meal at budget prices have never stopped coming to the shop since 62-year-old Sinnah’s husband, Yusof Salleh, started it in 1992. He, however, died of a stroke in 1999, aged 58. Norhalani, a property investment consultant, said the family wants Sinnah or Cik Nah to her customers to retire after running the shop for 20 years.

Price list of drinks at Kedai Kopi Cik Nah below.

“She has worked for her children all her life … it is time for me to carry on the family business,” said Norhalani. The coffeeshop at Kampung Losong Atap Zin, near the Taman Tamadun Islam theme park here, draws mostly the local villagers.

“They come to our place at least six times a day. It would not be fair to charge them exorbitant prices. “Over the years, the shop became popular with others too, including professionals and government officers,” Norhalani told The Star when met at the coffeeshop yesterday.

She said the family business makes a “decent profit” despite keeping the prices low for 20 years. “We average 500 customers daily,” she said, adding that the shop was usually full during breakfast time. “The favourites among our regulars are nasi lemak, nasi dagang and nasi minyak,” she said, adding that the shop also sells 50 different kuih and local snacks.

“This area used to be considered a rural place but with rapid development over the years, our kampung is not so much a village anymore. “Despite this, we have no plans to increase our prices anytime soon,” she said, adding that the customers’ needs and satisfaction were important to the business.

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Prices are F&B franchise chain worthy but unless you are prepared to live in a somewhat scary AND quite faux-Arabic (they fashion their cities after Sunnite Arabia here, Malaysia’s ‘Islam’ inspired equivalent of ‘redneckland’ for lack of a better term – also you probably can’t buy property or invest to any great degree here, ask about Bumiputra Apartheid or Malay Reserved properties, which makes these places closed to virtually the world . . .) featuring social environment and interest, diversity AND tolerance level reminiscent of 1910s Hillbilly USA (not the bad manners mainly, but because they are living in another world – a faux Arabia (linguistically as well, conversations will likely be quite limited) – that most cosmopolitan types cannot identify with (whippings for drinking alcohol and limb chopping for theft) are being mooted by some political factions even now, with the main cities with airports already quite fundo and particularly insular though keeping a veneer of ‘civilisation’, most of the world should stick to hoping for Carl’s Jr to get their F&B groove on again than wait for Malaysia’s backwoods, though fabulously priced Kedai Kopi to branch out into the world, than wait for ‘modernity’ to reach this place. Nice for academics and retirees, anyone into anything slightly more interesting had better keep their distance, price is right for drinks and food, but the social scene is instant death sentence, or murder.

It was filed at the High Court Civil Registry here through the legal form of Messrs. A.Sivanesan & Co.

The suit, which named Ian McIntyre and Star Publications (M) Bhd as defendants, was over two articles, “Distress in DAP continues” which was published on Dec 23 last year and “What Ramasamy said in the interview with The Star”, published on Dec 27 last year.

In the statement of claim, Ramasamy said that on Dec 21, 2011, Ian interviewed him at his office in Penang and an article on it was published on Dec 23.

He claimed that the article, in its original meaning, implied him as a DAP leader who was corrupt, abused his power and position and of no integrity.

Ramasamy said that following the publication of the article, he called for a media conference on Dev 26 last year to deny having uttered the words, but another article was published by the Star Publications (M) Bhd on Dec 27.

He claimed that the following the publication of the two articles, his position as a leader and reputation had been seriously injured and that he had been brought into public scandal, ridicule and contempt.

He is seeking an injunction to prevent the defendants from further publishing the articles, defamatory damages, as well as aggravated and exemplary damages, cost and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Besides, after 2 terms as DCM (unless term limitless minded – another Mubarak or Gaddafi, once they had the tase of power, they forget what TERM LIMITS (2 terms typically) are . . .), this will not even matter anymore.

Is the journalist or even the DCM worth 10M? Can they even earn that much in this lifetime? Don’t be greedy and illegical, this is about reputation not money Ramasamy. Even already valueless point scoring as just done by YM the quorumless parachute CM LGE against PM Najib by asking for apologies is unprincipled and meaningless enough, this is even worse – bullying AND greed for non-issues. Such pettiness.

Ask for an public forum with your ‘victims’ to refute, or publish an article to tell the readers why the article was wrong. People with this sort of attitude should not even be voted to begin with. Typical DAP behaviour – JUST LIKE SINGAPORE’S sicko PAP.

Don’t bully the already bullied, the Scots have not yet liberated themselves fro English colonialism, the action to sue a McIntyre clansman will doubtless end misery for another BN in formation, Braveheart style! Very ugly trend here in DAP’s mindset . . . vote for 3rd Force voters, if the DCM is as petty minded as this, one can imagine how the nepotistic Gaddafi and sons types will be like if they gain control of the cabinet.

Down with the nepotistic and term limitless (also bullying) faction in Pakatan Rakyat who have so much energy that they will target journos and newspapers rather than handle or address much less broach the APARTHEID of Bumiputraism !

Drop both BN and Pakatan’s racists and nepotist family blocs and vote for 3rd Force Coalition where : KITA, JATI, MCLM (whats left of it thanks to RPK’s sacrificing of LGBT to target Anwar, but homophobes could find it a good party that has 20 candidates), PCM, Borneo Front, Konsensus Bebas, HRP/Hindraf and PSM to grant the above 3 items.

Look at the below form as well and choose your canidates who will end all toll concessions and make all citizens equal.

12 people were sacked by DAP by April 2011, and at least another 12 more prior to this, mostly Indian members. If they believe in ending APARTHEID and are willing to sign a contract to support the end of APARTHEID, any independent, even Malay candidates should be voted over power mad and nepotistic DAP.

Watersports Facility owners (this is their Island too, who needs a DAP government that will not amend by-laws, kick them out take power and write your own laws Beach Boys . . . ) Quiet beaches due to water sports ban | theSundaily – http://www.thesundaily.my/news/136408

What is happening to the medical profession — Concerned senior citizen – July 20, 2011

JULY 20 — As I write this I am saddled with a sadness wondering if the years of hard work and effort spent at the medical college by medical students before they can be certified as medical graduates is indeed worth all the labour and time.

I have spent more than 30 years serving the people but today I am at a crossroads wondering if I am witness to the beginning of the end of the glorious and noble profession that is the medical health sciences. Sadly there are growing signs that the sacrosanct ideals of the profession seem to be fading.

My close observation of the profession — and that includes all healing sciences be it medical, dental or any other as long as healing is involved — is that the number of doctors present in this country is ever increasing. The number of hospitals is equally impressive; both government and private.

The private establishments attempt to equip themselves with the most expensive facilities in terms of style, décor and sophistication in terms of equipment for diagnosis, treatment and of course patient recovery. This must also be accompanied by patient comfort. Having said this, my observation is that the cost of patient care has become inflated to an extent that it is hugely frightening for a citizen when he/she falls ill.

Is the medical cost in tandem with the citizens per capita income or within his/her means? If a patient is struck with an illness like stroke or cancer or organ failure then the fear of not being able to meet the cost is even more frightening. If this is really the case then are the doctors still holding on to the sacred belief that their duty is to heal the patient at all costs.

Now, the phrase at all costs may be contentious for a debate but not forgetting that it is the aim of every doctor to heal the sick. If a patient cannot be healed by a doctor then it defeats the purpose of that visit and it also defeats the purpose of the doctor meeting with the patient. What does a doctor do then? Has he a choice of doing anything else to achieve that goal. This is something that is left to the doctor himself/herself.

The point I am driving at is this. Being able to come to a correct diagnosis is good and this can be obtained with expensive technology. But is this going to make it impossible for the patient to afford this service? If it is really the case then how does the doctor adapt himself to make it possible for him to do what he is supposed to do and that is to attend to the patient and achieve the healing.

Now the question: Is healing based on all the expensive machinery and the most expensive drugs available in the market? This is something doctors must most honestly search their minds and answer. Then again I have to ask. With all the expensive machinery and drugs available, why is it that many of the diseases are still left incurable. Is cough and cold curable? How then does it get cured? Is cancer curable? Is diabetes curable? Is eczema curable? When I say cure I mean that the disease becomes non-existent.

This is what I mean. If a patient has to be on a drug on a lifetime basis then it is not a cure. The disease is still inherent with the symptoms merely being blanketed by drugs till death takes over. The aim of a doctor is to heal the sick. If the healing has not been obtained then it is only logical that the treatment could have been either wrong or insufficient.

This unfortunately is the saddest part of being a doctor. Where then is the missing link? This is food for thought. Is it the training or the modus operandi of the system that has led to this sad state? Or is there a divine anomaly somewhere that doctors have lost sight of. The answers to healing is available in this universe. It is all left to the doctors to go and look for the answers.

There seems to be blatant disregard for ethics. Advertising seems to be rampant though however hidden it may appear. Lighted neon lights are being flashed around at the place of business. Many doctors are found to be rude, arrogant, and dishonest with their diagnoses. The dishonest diagnosis is meant to scare the patient into accepting the expensive treatment. This is not a myth or fault finding but is a real happening in the market.

Doctors’ behaviour towards patients can be a rude awakening for patients. They shout, scold and threaten as if the patient can be subject to bullying at his whims and fancies.

I have personally seen and witnessed doctors being rude, disrespectful and even threatening to patients in the presence of their spouses and children. This cannot and should not be condoned.

I have seen doctors even quoting their fees to patients based on whether he/she wants a second-hand Proton or a Mercedes Benz. I have seen doctors who despise other doctors with no care for their reputation or welfare. Everyone else is wrong except himself.

The extent to which professional jealousy exists is frightening. If one doctor begins to do well in practice out of sheer dedication and hard work, then the others in the same profession would do everything to cause him/her harm. This indeed is despicable.

Are doctors waiting for the day when patients will begin to lose their patience and bring in gangsters into clinics and beat up doctors before the other patients. Please do not wait till that sad day.

Remember, the people are becoming wiser and more knowledgeable day by day due to technology. Or are they lost in their own time wrap? Time to wake up.

These days it is common for one doctor to derecognise another doctor when he/she comes for treatment. They charge fees as they like. Of course there is nothing wrong with charging a decent fee to cover costs, no sane person would deny a doctor this.

But it is the blatant mercenary attitude that I condemn. There have even been instances when a colleague has been “detained” in the clinic/hospital till the full fees have been brought by family members. How low and despicable is this.

Today, private hospitals have become a business enterprise and that is why so many businessmen have started investing in them. It costs almost half a million ringgit to become a doctor today and there one must make his or her first million in the first year of work. This seems to be the prime motivation of every medical graduate. This is shameful.

My honest suggestion is that every doctor should open their doors to cater to patients at least once a week and start healing the sick at no cost. If you can do this for the rest of your life then and only then will you realise what healing the sick really means and then you will begin to value the great and sacred virtues of the profession. Till then I offer my prayers for each one of you.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

JAN 5 — A tax by any other name is still a tax. And that’s exactly what the 1 Care healthcare proposal is, if reports about the scheme are true.

Central to 1 Care is the National Health Financing Scheme (NHFS), a government insurance fund that both employees and businesses will have to pay 10 per cent of their monthly income to, similar to our Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF).

But unlike the EPF, it’s very likely we will not get our money back. So it’s basically a tax, plain and simple, however you try to dress it up.

I have no issues with progressive taxes, which is what the NHSF appears to be; those who can afford it will subsidise healthcare costs for those who can’t.

Given that only 10 per cent of the work force, or about one million, now pay for public goods enjoyed by all 28 million Malaysians via income tax, that seems par for the course.

But we already pay taxes, not only in the form of income tax but sin tax on booze and tobacco products, among others, to the government as payment for all public goods, including healthcare. Where’s the money going?

I don’t deny that healthcare costs may be spiralling upwards but it seems rich to propose a new levy on Malaysians when the government does not seem all that keen on tackling the leakages and illicit outflows, which are at an all-time high, by all independent accounts.

At the same time, Putrajaya seems bent on encouraging the poor dietary habits of the general population by increasing its sugar subsidy, which would only add to the burden on the healthcare system in years to come.

Malaysians already consume an average of 26 spoons of sugar daily and, as the Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) has pointed out, excessive consumption of the sweet stuff has been linked to over 60 diseases, from cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart problems, osteoporosis and kidney problems to asthma and allergies.

The prevalence of diabetes in Malaysia alone has jumped from below two per cent in 1960 to 14.9 per cent in 2006, or about 4.2 million patients. That’s 15 per cent of the total population, or almost one in seven persons.

CAP also pointed out that the federal government would save some RM567 million if it sells sugar at market price, due to lower healthcare costs in the long run, and I don’t doubt that they’re right in this case.

So if the government is sincere about preserving the health of Malaysians, it should get rid of the sugar subsidy, nix the 1 Care insurance scheme and find more efficient ways to employ the tax ringgit we have handed over to provide for fundamental public goods.

The very last thing it should be doing is double-taxing Malaysians just because it has failed to do its job properly.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 — Public outrage is growing over a proposed “1 Care” scheme to restructure the country’s healthcare system that critics claim would force employees and businesses to contribute 10 per cent of their monthly income to a government-run insurance fund.

Although details of the scheme are still vague and Health Ministry officials have insisted it is still “too early” to sound warning bells, medical practitioners and consumer associations have banded together since last December to kick off the “Tak Nak 1 Care” campaign, hoping to shelve Putrajaya’s plans before they come into force.

Critics claim the scheme would force employees and businesses to contribute 10 per cent of their monthly income to a government-run insurance fund. — Reuters file pic
Calling themselves the “Citizens’ Healthcare Coalition” (CHC), the group have taken their cause online, using social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, blogs and YouTube to spread information about the scheme and gain wider public support.

Among others, the group have started a “#TakNak1Care” Facebook community page, a Twitter account using the handle @taknak1care and uploaded on YouTube, several video clips urging Malaysians to reject the scheme.

Their efforts appear to be gaining traction among netizens and have even caught the attention of Health deputy director-general (Medical) Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, who has been personally involved in lengthy discussions with the group via their Facebook page.

The Malaysian Insider understands that “1 Care” is modelled in its entirety after the United Kingdom’s National Healthcare Service (NHS), a publicly-funded healthcare system, and was mooted in the 10th Malaysia Plan for the Health Ministry’s 2011-2015 strategic plan.

It is believed that the five-phase scheme has already entered its third phase, and the full initiative, post engagement with doctors and pharmacists nationwide, is due to be presented to the Cabinet by March.

According to one CHC member, “1 Care” will replace Malaysia’s current two-tier (public and private) healthcare system by integrating both private and government hospitals, in hopes of ensuring more “equitable” healthcare for Malaysians across all socio-economic statuses.

Under the present two-tier system, Malaysians can choose to either seek treatment at private clinics or hospitals and pay out of their own pocket or via health insurance claims, or opt for treatment at government clinics or hospitals and pay only a nominal fee for basic, government-subsidised healthcare.

With “1 Care”, CHC said it would be made compulsory for all wage earners, excluding government servants and pensioners, and businesses to contribute 10 per cent of their monthly income to a government-run Social Healthcare Insurance (SHI).

“So those who can pay, will pay, while those exempted from paying, such as the poor and so on, would still qualify for free basic medical benefits offered under the scheme … Basically, those who can afford it will pay for those who can’t,” the member said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

But, apart from the “fee-before-service” system under “1 Care”, CHC is also griping over the limited healthcare benefits offered under the scheme such as: a patient is assigned to a specific general practitioner (GP); visits are limited to six times per year; visits are limited to one ailment per visit and GPs or primary healthcare providers (PHCPs) are given Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to meet and would be subjected to penalties.

“Under this system, PHCPs only profit by billing the SHI for their services. Like all insurance, the SHI won’t approve too many claims to minimise cost. PHCPs may be penalised for giving too much service … or referring too many patients to hospitals or specialists.

“1 Care” is believed to be modelled after the UK’s National Healthcare Service (NHS). — Reuters file pic
“Doctors may have to provide less healthcare to avoid penalty… but you don’t stop paying or pay any less to SHI,” the group claimed in one YouTube video.

The CHC member explained to The Malaysian Insider that “1 Care” budgets a maximum claim of RM360 per patient for each GP from the SHI, which amounts to only six consultations a year at RM60 each.

“And with the KPI quotas to meet, GPs would try to delay referring too many patients to hospital. Those who need to seek treatment urgently would then have to go to the hospital on their own and pay out of their own pocket,” the member complained.

When attempting to allay fears over “1 Care” recently, Dr Noor Hisham explained that the proposed scheme was merely at “conceptual stage” and that reconstruction of the country’s healthcare system was badly needed.

“Now in the public sector we spend RM16 billion and only recoup two per cent. On the other hand, we wouldn’t want to burden the rakyat so we are currently looking into various options and models.

“At this point of time nothing has been agreed upon. Until everything has been agreed to by the public and such, we need to study the cost analysis. However, there are already lots of assumptions and speculation and bad branding of the system like this ‘Tak Nak’.

“I wonder where they pluck the figures from without substantive data to support,” he wrote in one response.

But the CHC claims a new “1 Care Act” is due to be tabled in Parliament imminently, possible as early as the next sitting in March.

The CHC will brief reporters on the issue tomorrow in the build-up to the Selangor/Kuala Lumpur Healthcare Public Forum on February 12. The Malaysian Insider understands the forum will be opened by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and attended by Health Ministry officials.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Medicine should be a tenure reward based profession so that professionals do not spend their time thinking about money and healing instead (i.e. free education, free housing, free food stamps etc..), and prices controlled by government so that doctors do not focus on becoming multimillionaires, though prices of education need to be lowered and spaces in the medical institution need to be increased. As of now medicine and education for is too expensive, too much hazing and abuse occurs in housemanship also government, and this contributes to the ‘payback’ mentality which is too prevalent.

To study medicine in dignity, people need to spend astronomical amounts overseas often at extreme cost to unhappy parents that may need to sell off family properties and pressure the student and young person needlessly, resukting in later bad behaviour from the now graduated doctor or if in the psychiatric or pharma establishment, intentional unecessary profiteering by prescribing expensive and unecessaery medications and treatments.

The local universities are abusive, the professors arrogant – even the receptionists and security guards snarky and status conscious due to the behaviour of their superiors (it trickles down), trainee doctors driven through entire periods of borderline insanity on the extreme hours in houseman shifts intentionally by the establishment WHILE bombarded by well rested political administrators/inculpators of certain mindsets that support the establishment thinking and sense of collusion – a corrupt culture if the government of the day is corrupt.

This is how a respectable institution like medicine becomes a tool of abuse and profiteering, and how the medical workers and doctors are wont to extract a pound of flesh at every turn, their rise to status of professional comes at tremendous personal psychological cost compounded by pressure by vicious bouts of housmanship, government harrassment and in some cases a general dislike for closeness to people but a desire to get the ‘Dr.’ in front of their name.

Most doctors (actually even other degree disciplines) are not interested in their field (this is intentional IMHO, people slated for exceptional careers must be interested in their field and this is ONLY afforded by selective political or in power persons children being placed there who do have interest while everyone else gets a seat for a degree they have no interest in to make their career mediocre, the politically unaffiliated or non-earmarked are only able to earn a living, not excel and compete on an even playing field, those who can afford to go overseas to take a degree they want may face the problem of selective offers in jobs vacancies and hiring in collusion with industry people . . . again reserved for certain cliques etc. so do not spend on education as if it will change anything in your child’s life . . .

If you are not politically favoured locally especially in the 3rd world, preserve those properties and focus on other debt free earning methods . . . ) or even emotionally suitable to dispense healing, the typical ‘doctors’ are into prestige and greed egged on by family pressure, in some cases brand obsessed wives and education of children in ever increasingly expensive schools and university funds (education should be free, as medicine should be free)- and this is reflected in unhappiness, manipulative behaviour and collusion with government described the above articles. When you step into a medical institution run by or staffed in the above described cases, you are walking into a pit of vipers, not a place of healing. Don’t get ill or try to recover on your own by keeping healthy eating well (again careful of WHERE you eat or go, collusion between unhealthy eateries/franchises and medical establishment is not impossible or unknown, the conscience and ethics upon the heads of the service providers derermined by the economy . . . ), exercising and keeping away from negative people . . .

MAY 19 — I am a Malay working overseas. I find working in Malaysia unattractive due to the following reasons. I don’t want to belabour the points, so I list them down in point form: Chinese chauvinism/racism • Most private organisations including TMI are dominated by the Chinese and/or their political agenda.

• Chinese people have a tendency to assign negative stereotypes on other races (especially the Bumiputera races).
• They exhibit cliquish, insular, secretive and calculating behaviour.
• Chinese people favour fair-skinned people even though fair skin is disadvantageous in Malaysia’s sunny climate.
• They admire China’s achievements, despite China’s oppressive regime.
• Malaysian Chinese use the Chinese languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien etc.) to isolate their discussion from others while in their presence.
• The Chinese are not honest about failures of ethnic Chinese leaderships in Philippines and Thailand.
• Tokenism is rife in Chinese companies.
• Chinese will use changing criteria to judge people of other ethnicities; one day it is academic merit, another day it may be “character.”
• The Chinese favour their own kind over others, even when other kinds are of equal stature.
• Malays fear to voice out against Chinese for fear of repercussions especially with respect to their employment prospects in the private sector.
• The Chinese still hold strongly to their ethnic heritage.
• They diminish the achievement of other races, especially the Malays.
• Harp on Bumiputera affirmative action even though Chinese people still continue to succeed at all levels of Malaysian life (even government).
• Any Malay who has strong academic background is denounced as attaining it due to “Bumiputera privilege”, even though he graduated overseas with his own money.
• Use their overseas Chinese connection to gain unfair advantage, but pretend the advantage is minimal.
• The Chinese always make unfair comparisons of Malaysia with other non-Muslim, post-industrial countries.
• Chinese people don’t recognise the special position Islam has in Malaysia.
• Enjoy talking bad about Malaysia (even when working/living overseas) as if Malaysia is on the same level as Zimbabwe even though Malaysia is far from it.
• Highly critical of institutions that are Bumiputera-dominated (ie. government), but non-critical of institutions that are Chinese dominant (like gambling).
• Show no desire to partake in patriotic activities (e.g. serve in army), but cry foul when other people point out their lack of patriotism.
• Show lack of understanding about Islamic religion, but enjoy taking Quranic verses out of context to further their argument.
• If pushed to think “outside the box”, the Chinese would favour Western ideals above Islamic ideals.
• The Chinese show lack of respect toward Malay leaders, but accord unnecessary respect to their Chinese community leaders, even though they hold no significant position in government.
• Always speak about “brain drain” but still keep Malaysian passports.
• Willing to spread disingenuous claim that Bumis have already achieved economic parity with the Chinese.
• Use Indians who have achieved to further their claim that Indian community is ahead of the Malay community.
• Comments in support of Chinese chauvinistic agenda are allowed to be posted in TMI, while others are censored.

I can go on and on with more example, but I grow tired and annoyed. PAS religionists :

• Holds only their interpretation of Islam to be the truth.
• Willing to associate themselves with and be used by non-Muslims while creating enmity toward other Muslims.
• Use religion as a political tool to win arguments and foment discord.
• Ritualistic mentality.
• Have a simplistic idea/concept of the world and its affairs.

Umno nationalism

• Partake in bully politics.
• Enjoy seeing minor issues such as sexual improprieties take over the national discourse.
• Willing to give in to fervent Malay nationalism.
• Must “ampu” within Umno hierarchical structure to get to higher positions.
• Anti-intellectualism.
• Unwillingness to adapt and change to satisfy changing political climate.

Indian shiftiness

• Willing to change their allegiance due to changing political tide.
• Belief that Indian subcontinent will help them, like mainland China helps Malaysian Chinese.
• Dishonest about their caste and other internal problems.

Malaysian culture as a whole

• No proper understanding of logic and reason.
• Has not understood to segregate religious thinking from secular reasoning.
• Lost sensitivities towards other religions/races.
• Still admire Western culture, without studying their obvious weaknesses.
• Always sidetracked by minor issues rather than seeing bigger picture.
• Media not mature to show all sides of the story, media is all very partisan.
• Partisanship is being promoted at all levels from the family microcosm to the national level.

* A Bumi who chooses not to provide his identity, and who has worked in a China-man company as a token executive. * We asked readers who have migrated to tell us in their own words why they left. This is one of the stories.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Good list of reasons why Malaysia fails. But :

Chinese chauvinism/racism – they did not throw the APARTHEID Constitution and APARTHEID Law punch first. I’d say that the Chinese were just returning the favour.

As for the rest of this crafted diatribe posed as reasoned judgment and justification of APARTHEID, I will let the readers decide whether this is a carefully crafted NLP article by the Info Ministry or if there was any ‘Bumi’ at all, as if ‘Bumi’ is an acceptable term at all, given it ensconces the acceptance of APARTHEID albeit subtly.

There is no such thing as BUMI. All humans are sovereign citizens of the world. This article is just **annoying**. Also just look at the other disgraceful NLP type titles on Malaysian Insider, just shameless and absolutely in need of retaliation against or debunking. Those with the networks and strength here please act.

DO YOU NOT SEE WHAT THEY DO TO THE MINORITIES non-Malay political parties in BN? ACT OR BE DAMNED AS COWARDS, ALL THE WEALTH AND POWER DOES NOTHING FOR COURAGE . . . Other bad ‘minority hate’, ‘demoralize the minority’ articles in Malaysian Insider worth taking a second look at :

Those real Malay leaders who believe in citizen equality by ending BUMIPUTRA APARTHEID rather than being manipulative via the media, PLEASE step forward and make your intentions known. The Orang Asli, Indians and Chinese, UNHCR and real Muslims who do not want to sin from Asabiya just can’t wait to vote for you !

For 15 years, from the mid 1970’s to 1990, I worked in Detroit , Michigan . I watched it descend into the abyss of crime, debauchery, gun play, drugs, school truancy, car-jacking, gangs and human depravity. I watched entire city blocks burned out. I watched graffiti explode on buildings, cars, trucks, buses and school yards.Trash everywhere! Detroiters walked through it, tossed more into it, and ignored it. Tens of thousands, and then hundreds of thousands today exist on federal welfare, free housing, and food stamps! With Aid to Dependent Children, minority women birthed eight to 10, and in one case, one woman birthed 24 children as reported by the Detroit Free Press, all on American taxpayer dollars. A new child meant a new car payment, new TV, and whatever mom wanted. I saw Lyndon Baines Johnson’s ‘Great Society’ flourish in Detroit .

If you give money for doing nothing, you will get more hands out taking money for doing nothing Mayor Coleman Young, perhaps the most corrupt mayor in America , outside of Richard Daley in Chicago , rode Detroit down to its knees… He set the benchmark for cronyism, incompetence, and arrogance. As a black man, he said, “I am the MFIC.” The IC meant “in charge”. You can figure out the rest Detroit became a majority black city with 67 percent African-Americans. As a United Van Lines truck driver for my summer job from teaching math and science, I loaded hundreds of American families into my van for a new life in another city or state. Detroit plummeted from 1.8 million citizens to 912,000 today. At the same time, legal and illegal immigrants converged on the city, so much so, that Muslims number over 300,000. Mexicans number 400,000 throughout Michigan , but most work in Detroit . As the whites moved out, the Muslims moved in. As the crimes became more violent, the whites fled. Finally, unlawful Mexicans moved in at a torrid pace. Detroit suffers so much shoplifting that grocery stores no longer operate in many inner city locations. You could cut the racial tension in the air with a knife!

Detroit may be one of our best examples of multiculturalism: pure dislike, and total separation from America . Today, you hear Muslim calls to worship over the city like a new American Baghdad with hundreds of Islamic mosques in Michigan , paid for by Saudi Arabia oil money. High school flunk out rates reached 76 percent last June, according to NBC’s Brian Williams. Classrooms resemble more foreign countries than America . English? Few speak it! The city features a 50 percent illiteracy rate and growing. Unemployment hit 28.9 percent in 2009 as the auto industry vacated the city. In Time Magazine’s October 4, 2009, “The Tragedy of Detroit: How a great city fell, and how it can rise again,” I choked on the writer’s description of what happened. “If Detroit had been ravaged by a hurricane, and submerged by a ravenous flood, we’d know a lot more about it,” said Daniel Okrent.

“If drought and carelessness had spread brush fires across the city, we’d see it on the evening news every night.” Earthquake, tornadoes, you name it, if natural disaster had devastated the city that was once the living proof of American prosperity, the rest of the country might take notice. But Detroit , once our fourth largest city, now 11th and slipping rapidly, has had no such luck. Its disaster has long been a slow unwinding that seemed to remove it from the rest of the country. Even the death rattle that in the past year emanated from its signature industry brought more attention to the auto executives than to the people of the city, who had for so long been victimized by their dreadful decision making.” As Coleman Young’s corruption brought the city to its knees, no amount of federal dollars could save the incredible payoffs, kickbacks and illegality permeating his administration. I witnessed the city’s death from the seat of my 18-wheeler tractor trailer because I moved people out of every sector of decaying Detroit . “By any quantifiable standard, the city is on life support. Detroit ‘s treasury is $300 million short of the funds needed to provide the barest municipal services,” Okrent said. “The school system, which six years ago was compelled by the teachers’ union to reject a philanthropist’s offer of $200 million to build 15 small, independent charter high schools, is in receivership. The murder rate is soaring, and 7 out of 10 remain unsolved. Three years after Katrina devastated New Orleans , unemployment in that city hit a peak of 11%. In Detroit today, the unemployment rate is 28.9%.

That’s worth spelling out: twenty-eight point nine percent. At the end of Okrent’s report, and he will write a dozen more about Detroit, he said, “That’s because the story of Detroit is not simply one of a great city’s collapse, it’s also about the erosion of the industries that helped build the country we know today. The ultimate fate of Detroit will reveal much about the character ofAmerica in the 21st century. If what was once the most prosperous manufacturing city in the nation has been brought to its knees, what does that say about our recent past? And if it can’t find a way to get up, what does that say about America ‘s future?” As you read in my book review of Chris Steiner’s book,”$20 Per Gallon”, the auto industry won’t come back. Immigration will keep pouring more and more uneducated third world immigrants from the Middle East into Detroit , thus creating a beachhead for Islamic hegemony in America . If 50 percent illiteracy continues, we will see more homegrown terrorists spawned out of the Muslim ghettos of Detroit . Illiteracy plus Islam equals walking human bombs. You have already seen it in Madrid , Spain , London , England and Paris , France with train bombings, subway bombings and riots. As their numbers grow, so will their power to enact their barbaric Sharia Law that negates republican forms of government, first amendment rights, and subjugates women to the lowest rungs on the human ladder. We will see more honor killings by upset husbands, fathers and brothers that demand subjugation by their daughters, sisters and wives. Muslims prefer beheadings of women to scare the hell out of any other members of their sect from straying. Multiculturalism: what a perfect method to kill our language, culture, country and way of life.

I PRAY EVERYONE THAT READS THIS REALIZES THAT IF WE DON’T STAND UP, AND SCREAM AT WASHINGTON , AND OUR STATE, CITY AND LOCAL LEADERS THIS IS WHAT AWAITS THE REST OF AMERICA . IF YOU THINK MEXICANS AND MUSLIMS AND OTHER FORIEGNERS WILL EVENTUALLY FIT RIGHT IN THEN YOU ARE AS BIG A PART OF THE PROBLEM AS THEY ARE. “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” — Benjamin Franklin

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

It was high taxes or even mere assessments levied at non-profitable businesses that killed Detroit. The psychology and tolerance of any city or even person, will only take so much imposed on it. If these were not applied, at least some businesses would have stubbornly hung on still able to provide a trickle of jobs and production capability ready to come back on if needed.

Whats more, those zoning restrictions would if not applied have allowed SOME old factories into extended homes at least, but the way the law is enforced, against all commonsense (like the TSA) and without allowances for poverty or down turns, these buildings were abandoned. Rethink which sanctimonious awning or gazebo forbidding council or assemblyman you might vote in mind AND if they are ready to be as forgiving as the economy globally is not. If they need you to submit form and wait 6 mths for approvals through state sanctioned architecture companies to regulate the your PRIVATE plans for a simple awning inside your home, then better think twice.

They would never let you use the public space with any common sense and tax VERY IMPORTANT businesses that are hitting non-profitable patches even as they allow golden parachutes to stock companies making losses in open collusion right under your nose – with complaining people like Frosty not acting to remove them from power to boot ! If they will not allow a factory to be turned into an extended family home but rather let it rot, then woe betide your society. Or keep taxing non-profitable companies or competing and edging out the private sector ILLEGALLY via GLCs, justified by conflict of interest or vested interest laws, mcuh the way nepotists create oligarchies around them via political parties. Such places where voters do not act, will ALL be Detroit in 20 years or less, as cheaper to function in or less red tape type nations take over where USA become over-regulated so that no American was allowed to even use his own factory space or even buy an old school to at least plant crops to feed themselves and live in as a shelter.

VAT, GST, Toll Concessions and a myriad of blindly levied taxes destroy societies, act and vote against policy makers who will do nothing to roll back these things or be crushed by Big Government and Big Brother. This could be the last ‘free’ generation speaking, act to remove oligarchs, nepotists, crypto-racists, open racists, neurotech using technofascsists, NLP-using psychiatric establishment, colluding politicians, corrupt bureaucrats and whoever out to destroy the country you are from. That is the only thing the vote is for, not because someone smiled and kissed your kid or appeared to be a moral exemplar but later trashed the law and constitution to benefit themselves while remaining morally ‘perfect’.

Think before you vote and if all candidates stink WHERE IT MATTERS (i.e. writing good policies), run for election yourself, it is every citizen’s right.

It has long been a dream of both scientists and law enforcement officials alike. Researchers monitoring brain activity can now determine what action a person is planning before he carries it out. Although it is currently only possible to know what someone is going to do just moments before it happens, the implications of the breakthrough are huge. Scroll down for video Breakthrough: Researchers monitoring brain activity can now determine what action a person is planning before he carries it out Breakthrough: Researchers monitoring brain activity can now determine what action a person is planning before he carries it out Police, for example, would love to know what a criminal is intending to do during a tense armed stand-off. Lead researcher Jason Gallivan, of the University of Western Ontario, said: ‘This is a considerable step forward in our understanding of how the human brain plans actions.’

Over the course of a one-year study, volunteers had their brain activity scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they performed one of three hand movements – grasping the top of an object, grasping the bottom of the object, or simply reaching out and touching the object. The scientists found that by using the signals from many brain regions, they could predict, better than chance, which of the actions the volunteer was merely intending to do, seconds later. One day soon? Christopher Walken in the 1983 sci-fi film Brainstorm, which follows a team of scientists who record their thoughts

One day soon? Christopher Walken in the 1983 sci-fi film Brainstorm, which follows a team of scientists who record their thoughts

Co-author Jody Culham said: ‘Neuro-imaging allows us to look at how action planning unfolds within human brain areas without having to insert electrodes directly into the human brain. ‘This is obviously far less intrusive.’ The new findings could also have important clinical implications. Mr Gallivan said: ‘Being able to predict a human’s desired movements using brain signals takes us one step closer to using those signals to control prosthetic limbs in movement-impaired patient populations, like those who suffer from spinal cord injuries or locked-in syndrome.’ The findings are published in the Journal of Neuroscience. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2010245/Mind-reading-scientists-predict-person-going-it.html

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

As formal a Confirmation of existence of Neurotech as any. Combine this with Telecoms technology like the wirless cellphone and the Orwellian surveillance society is impossible to escape. Run for elections free minded citizens wherever you are with or without a political party backing you or set up one – the Mental Autonomy / Mentral Privacy Party along side or within your Green Parties.Pass bills and laws that prohibit such technologies, or freedom as we know it, will have ended.

A 6,400-square foot home is half-buried in a grassy slope in East Hampton, NY. When Bob Stansel and Tammy Marek were planning their new luxury home here, they didn’t want to overwhelm the neighbors. So they buried half of it. Except for its arching corrugated metal roof, the unadorned modern structure built of concrete and glass barely rises higher than the grassy slope into which it’s built. More than 3,200 of the four-bedroom home’s roughly 6,400 square feet are located in a lower level, making the house appear more than twice as big from the side as it does from the front. Using subterranean construction to avoid restrictive building codes is a popular option in places like California’s Napa Valley, where home owners burrow underground for more space. But the couple here said their decision wasn’t driven by regulations; instead it was their own desire for a pared-down aesthetic. “I don’t think I’d want people thinking that was my dream of retirement, to build some monster,” said Mr. Stansel, a 65-year-old former mortgage banker who moved into the East Hampton home with his wife this winter.

“We didn’t want a bunch of expensive decorations on the outside.” On the property, Japanese maple and copper beech trees sit near a planted flat-roofed garage and grass driveway whose wide-set cobblestones look like part of the landscaping. Mr. Stansel took a 1,200-pound glacial rock, which he bought for $2,000 after becoming intrigued by its Alaska history, and trucked it from storage in Portland, Ore. to use outside as a garden feature. The owners filled the home with pieces chosen by an interior decorator. The interior is simple, reflecting the desires of Ms. Marek, a 52-year-old day trader and horse lover—the couple has four horses that are boarded away from home in Connecticut and Holland. “It’s more like a loft,” she said. The front door leads to an open plan living area with flooring made of Oregon black walnut and white Bulgarian limestone. A concrete slab marks the staircase, which is held up with a harpsichord-like row of steel cables. Arched glass walls surround the modern living room and lacquered wood kitchen, hugging the curve of the roof. Downstairs, a sitting area and den are lit by three pairs of 9-foot tall glass French doors around a lower courtyard. Mr. Stansel’s study and a general storage area, however, are in rooms without any direct light.

Architects are seeing more houses with unassuming façades that explode in size when viewed from the back, or homes split into multiple buildings so they’ll look less massive, or even homes that New York architect Lee Skolnick calls “McRanchions”—1950s ranch houses given luxury makeovers. “There’s a trend we’re seeing—it’s called ‘perceived thrift,'” said Chris Rose, an architect based in Charleston, S.C. “It’s kind of like the ladies going to Bergdorf’s and still buying stuff, but putting it in a brown bag.” Mr. Stansel had his fill when it came to towering properties: In 2009, he and Ms. Marek bought Canterbury Castle, a 1930s landmark in Portland, Ore. with a moat, drawbridge and turret, for about $290,000. They were already living in the house next door and bought the site as an investment. The city had deemed the crumbling edifice structurally unsound, clearing the way for the couple to raze it. Some locals were opposed, but the couple considered it unsafe and an eye sore. At the same time, Mr. Stansel and Ms. Marek were beginning construction on the Long Island house.

East Hampton-based architect Maziar Behrooz had come up with a design for the land’s previous owner, who was inspired by a photo of an F-16 fighter jet nosing out of an airplane hangar for the building’s shape. Mr. Behrooz dubbed it the Arc House, after the curve of the galvanized aluminum roof. Mr. Stansel was drawn to the home’s low-slung profile. The couple paid $1.25 million for the property down a long road lined with tall pines, and another $2.2 million for the building, Mr. Stansel said. Nearby, in a subdivision with meadows and fields for polo matches, a home is on the market for $2.9 million. The couple moved to New York because they thought it would make it easier to travel to Europe in their retirement, though they are considering spending the winters in Portland if they don’t find a buyer for their property there. Outside their Long Island home, a memento from their Portland past is now set into the ground. Two heavy stones serve as steps to a soon-to-be-built Zen garden—pieces of the castle they once owned.

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Isn’t this America land of the free? Why should there be a need for ‘ using subterranean construction to avoid restrictive building codes ‘ ? Which idiots write and ratify these codes? By the way in a certain 3rd world country the below abuse of residents is occurring : http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/1378/gambier1.jpg Vote them out and rewrite those codes! If you don’t have a good candidate, run for candidacy on the ticket of rewriting restrictive building codes ! Do not let them tell you what to do or how to build on your private land! Want lower taxes? Property assessments? Freedom from apartheid? Run for candidacy or find out which MP cannot be voted due to their oppressive social or political beliefs and unvotable desire to impose restrictive building (in some places DRESS – allow Burkha! Allow Nudism!) codes !

(newsdesk@thestar.com.my) JOHOR BARU: The High Court here sentenced three men to the gallows and two others were detained at the pleasure of the Ruler for kidnapping a schoolgirl three years ago. P. Steven, 26, P. Vicknes, 29, and R. Ravikumar, 22, were handed the death sentence for abducting a 13-year-old girl with the intention of getting a ransom of RM500,000 in Tampoi at around 11.20am on April 28, 2008. However, Judge Kamardin Hash­im ordered that two others, both 19, be detained at the pleasure of the Johor Sultan under Section 97(2)(b) of the Child Act 2001 because they were underage when the offence was committed. To the gallows: The accused being escorted out of the Johor Baru High Court after the sentence was delivered. According to the facts of the case, the victim was abducted while she was on her way to school.

The victim’s dad subsequently paid RM80,000 to the accused at a petrol station in Sungai Besi. S. Vijayaretanam represented Vicknes while Mohd Haijan Omar represented the other four. Both lawyers appealed for a lighter sentence. Mohd Haijan said the accused had not harmed the victim. “The victim was not injured and they provided her with food and clothes,” he said. Vijayaretanam said the victim was not sexually harassed. However Deputy Public Prosec­utor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad said the offence was serious. They were charged under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, which carries the death sentence or life imprisonment, as well as whipping. Earlier, nine accused were charged with abducting the girl but four were acquitted in April after the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case against them. All the accused were silent while the verdict was read out while some of their family members were seen weeping. The girl’s father M. Paramasivam, 48, who was present in court, said that he was satisfied with the judgment. “I accompany my daughter whenever she goes out as she is still afraid to step out of the house alone,” the businessman said. He added that he had also moved out of his old home as he was afraid for the safety of his family.

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The judge should punish according to the final ending of the situation. In this case the victimised family had a shock they would recover from in a few years at most. All were unharmed. But collectively these 3 people have up to 200 years of life taken away from them in a somewhat violent manner (hanging means that the neck is broken in a manner that kills via a noose). Is that a fair judgment, do the offenders learn anything?

To be lenient and even politically correct, the offenders could be required at very least to pay for any emotional or psychological stress quantifiable by some psyche personnel within the policeforce (this should not be more than the entire value of the offender even if calculated by qualified panels of experts – we can’t have people demanding 100s of millions nor can people without the money pay damages that are impossible to foot , but we can ensure that the victims are protected from further abuse and compensated for any losses from the incident from any and all parties involved), offenders be put on probation having to report to a probation officer for a few months with a lifetime restraining order, preventing them from approaching the victims without permission from the court. At worst exile the offenders after a public apology at a public venue at Tampoi witnessed by any person’s interested in this case, probably media and judges, some relatives and busybodies.

Then extract some sort of compensation to the family, not more than will affect a reasonable living standard for the offender, as long as the victims require or as audited by some expert panel. Instead of imprisoning at taxpayer expense and making the offenders lose their lives quite meaninglessly with a fairly violent method, they could be made to pay out of their pockets (to some people loss of cash does not hurt them so for these people a tit for tat event could be more appropriate) or have the same done to them.

The offenders were greedy but not violent, nor did they imprison the victims so they should not be imprisoned in turn at cost to the taxpayer. This is a bad judgment IMHO as it is not equitable or commensurate with the suffering of the victims. Only the prison contractors benefit here. And conditions in jail are not necessarily appropriate unless we have fake ‘prisoners’ put into jail to mete out specifically tailored punishments – in which case the taxpayer loses again. Don’t hang, rehabilitate and let them live out the course of their lives, their mulling of the issue will be beneficial compared to a violent hanging and meaningless death.